Leave of Absence

This is a special announcement and not one that I ever thought I would be making. I write this with mixed feelings and have shed quite a few tears as it is with regret to inform you all of my decision to take 12 months personal leave of absence from my position on the Board of Yasminah’s Gift Of Hope as President, with immediate effect. It has been a very difficult decision to make but after much consideration and the support of my family, I believe it is for the best interests of Yasminah’s Gift Of Hope, myself and my family. I anticipate returning to the position of President 1st December 2014.

I wish to clarify the reasons for my sudden decision to step back from the Board. There are many but I feel that my immediate and continued contribution over the next 12 months to the Board is extremely limited. I have poured my heart and soul into creating Yasminah’s Gift of Hope in memory of the stillbirth of my beautiful daughter Yasminah and in honour of our twin daughters Aisha and Aaliyah’s premature birth. I wanted to help other parents and families know that they weren't alone on this journey and that there was support and understanding available from someone who has experienced it. The creation of 'Yasminah's Gift Of Hope' being firstly the hand designed journals, then the Premmie Gift Of Hope journal, was one that was designed to not only give parents hope, but also an outlet to heal and a special keepsake and place to record their journey. I started YGOH when Aisha and Aaliyah were only a few months old and I’ve never really allowed myself time to grieve privately and fully acknowledge my own journey. YGOH has been an immense and important part of my healing and growth, but in many ways also shifted my focus and grief. I believe it was in a positive way and one that at the time felt right, helping others who have experienced the same or similar journeys of bereavement and premature birth. I also feel that I have missed out on so much of my little girls first precious years and I don’t wish for that to happen with our precious little rainbow baby we are expecting next year. Family must always come first. At this point in time it is important for me to focus on my physical and mental health, my pregnancy, the impending arrival of my rainbow baby and my beautiful, precious family.

I have formed some very special friendships with you all over the past 4 years and together we have shared a lot of highs and lows. I greatly appreciate and thank you all for your love, kindness and support during what has been a very difficult time in my life. I truly value your friendships and the memories I have made will always be held close to my heart. I will never forget you and what you have each contributed to YGOH. One thing we have always prided ourselves upon is our connection to the community and working together with like-minded organisations and people - thank you for believing in YGOH, your support and contributions. I wish to especially thank my dear friends who have donated their time, skills and professional services via their businesses to supporting YGOH over the years. You have helped us grow from my humble dining room table 4 years ago to supporting thousands of families across Australia. YGOH was born from the loss of my little girl Yasminah Ann who has touched the hearts and lives of many and from the kindness and support of our family and friends and complete strangers whose support has been unwavering!

I will greatly miss the daily interaction with the volunteers and being involved in the future direction of the organisation during the next 12 months. This is the right decision for me at this moment and for my future. I will be back so this isn’t really goodbye just - see you soon!

Please continue in your amazing efforts of raising awareness, funds and supporting YGOH via contributing to journal designing, knitting and sewing. Please keep contributing to our Facebook support groups in order for us to continue the vital support we provide to premmie and bereaved families across Australia.

I do hope that you will all keep in touch. I hold many of you and your babies close to my heart and I will be forever grateful for the beautiful friendships I have made along the way. Thank you for sharing your own journeys and opening your hearts to mine. I look forward to sharing the exciting new journey that lies ahead and the arrival of our rainbow baby next year. My phone number remains the same 0409977999 but I can no longer be reached at rebecca@ygoh.org.au Please refer any YGOH related emails to contact@ygoh.org.au

Thanking you all from the bottom of my heart. Sending you all Hope, Light, Love and Happiness

Bec xx

Post by Yasminah's Gift Of Hope.

R U OK? Start a conversation that could change a life

September 15th is R U OK? Day. A national day of action to prevent suicide.


Gavin Larkin, inspirational suicide prevention campaigner and founder of R U OK Day passed away yesterday after a 19 month battle with cancer at just 42 years old leaving behind 3 children, a loving family and an amazing legacy. I encourage you to watch his story on http://www.abc.net.au/iview/#/view/826942

I was deeply moved by Gavin's passion, commitment and his own story and willingness to make a difference. Gavin experienced the loss of his own father, who took his life and ironically Gavin spent the last 19 months of his life fighting to keep his life. My uncle also took his life. It came as a huge shock to everyone in the family. He 'seemed' to be 'ok'. He had 2 gorgeous little boys, a new love in his life, and all the material things that deemed him as successful. Only a few weeks prior, he had visited his family, taking a vacation. Looking back on it now, we realize that he was probably saying his goodbye to us all. To think that we could of prevented him taking his life, by keeping in touch with him and making sure he was ok will stay with us forever.

Suicide is a serious mental health issue, and help is available. You are never alone on your journey, in your thoughts and feelings, there is always someone, somewhere out there that can help. I know as I too have suffered depression and many years ago thought of taking my own life. I was very lucky to have someone there to ask me if I was OK, and to pull me out of the depths of my depression. It made me a stronger person, and made me even more determined to live my life to its fullest.  


Its OK not to be OK, its OK to cry at times, its OK to not feel right, its OK to not want to ask for help... but its OK to know I'm here to help. Its OK to cry on my shoulder, its OK to tell me whats going on, its OK for we all get like this... R U OK today?




R U OK Day http://www.ruokday.com.au/
Lifeline 24/7 13 11 14

Intrinsic - Adele Basheer

We are always appealing to businesses in the community to ask for their support and to help us provide families with a Gift Of Hope. We have an amazing team of volunteers who are a valuable contribution to YGOH and help us spread awareness and build support for our organisation.

Recently one of our volunteers Kylie, who has previously been successful in gaining support and donations of supplies for our journals, received the most heart warming gift to help us on our journey.

Some of you 'scrappers' may be aware of Adele Basheer and her inspiring line of stationary and scrapbook supplies. We were extrememly grateful for their generosity. We received 5 packs of 4 different designs of 12 x 12 Scrapbook paper that we use to decorate our Journals. Along with 5 different packs of stips with inspiring messages and words. Adele and the team and intrinsic were also very thoughtful by including 11 cards from their range.

Also included was a lovely card, personally written to the team at YGOH with this small inspirational quote. And you all know how much I LOVE quotes!

Dear Kylie and all Yasminah's Gift Of Love,

We admire and congratulate you on the beautiful work and support network you offer to others. Your website and Facebook page clearly displays that you are there for those in need and certainly generates a warm feeling and supports what you offer...Hope, Love, Light and Happiness.
We're thrilled that you have taken the time to reach out to us for help and are very pleased to enclose scrapbooking papers to use on your wonderful books.
At intrinsic we all share a common thread to make a difference in people's lives...to give...to help them learn and grow. Our Website intrinsiconline.com .....is one way of making a deeper connection, with Adele and many others offering their words of wisdom and hope. Of course our gorgeous freebies are very welcomed each month too, so please keep in touch!
With love and light, Trish, Adele, Jamie and all the team

For me personally this was a truly touching gift as my children's journals are from the intrinsic range. Including Yasminah's pregnancy journal.

My husband purchased these journals for me when we finally fell pregnant with our first child on the 25th October 2006 after a long battle trying to conceive. The idea was that I would use one journal for each tri-mester of my pregnancy. But I only managed to fill one journal; Cherish, with my journey through my first pregnancy. We then decided that we would keep the other journals and I would use them for future pregnancies. Not knowing then just how important Yasminah's pregnancy journal would become. I love how pretty these journals are and how they inspired me to write. Inside the journal Adele writes :

A journal should be written on pages within a cover that inspires your soul.It should be beautiful to you because your life contains beauty. It should feel precious to you because your life is precious. Your journal will become a friend for life and within its pages you will find greater insight, awareness and wisdom to encourage you on your lifes path Love Adele

I would personally like to thank Adele, Trish, Jamie and the team at Intrinsic on behalf of Yasminah's Gift Of Hope, for all their support and generosity. We have distributed your lovely donations to our volunteers to help them, help us decorate our Gift Of Hope Journals.