October is Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness.
News 12 New Jersey's Marisa Brahney lost her own daughter last year just after birth, and wants residents to know of an organization that helps families preserve memories of their beloved baby.
Hackettstown resident Jami Cavanagh and her husband got the happy surprise 12 weeks into her third pregnancy, that they were expecting identical twin girls. All was looking great at the 20-week ultrasound, but three days later she wasn't feeling much movement, and went to her doctor.
"They confirmed we had lost Ella at 20 weeks," said Cavanagh. "It was due to Twin to Twin Transfusion syndrome."
The syndrome happens when one twin passes its nutrients to the other twin through the shared placenta. It can cause death in the smaller, weaker baby and problems for the survivor.
Stella, the survivor twin, went into immediate heart failure. After four weeks of intense monitoring, the Cavanaghs lost her too, and Jami gave birth to the girls.
Professional photographer Kathy Harris, a volunteer with the organization Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep, captured images of the family together.
Harris began volunteering with Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep after reading an article about the organization a few years ago. She's now captured photos for dozens of New Jersey families.
"They send me these letters, these notes that tell me how important these pictures were for the healing process," said Harris.
For Cavanagh, the photos of her girls are a lasting gift. "I told Kathy, you really have no idea what you gave our family...it's amazing," she said. "It's pretty much all you have."