Meet The Facilitator

Charmel Clough

Hello and welcome to BLOOM! My name is Charmel Clough, founder of Emilia’s Wings and facilitator of BLOOM.  My husband, Dan, and I have called the Kansas City Northland home for over a decade.  We are blessed with four children – Adelaide, Emilia, Roselyn, and Owen – each filling our lives with love and purpose.

My journey with loss began when our second daughter, Emilia Madeleine Rose, was born still at 33 weeks on March 15, 2017.  Life lost its meaning in the aftermath of her passing.  Simple daily tasks became overwhelming, and grief touched every part of my world.

In time, I found KC HOPE (what is now BLOOM).  Sitting among other parents who truly understood was healing.  I could say Emilia’s name aloud, cry, or simply be – without fear of judgment.  Years later, my husband and I endured another loss through miscarriage (7 weeks), and again, the group offered comfort and hope.

Those experiences shaped me into who I am today.  BLOOM is more than a support group – it’s a safe, welcoming space where we say our babies’ names, share memories, and help each other carry the weight of grief. My greatest hope is that every parent who joins us feels seen, supported, and reminded that they are not alone.

The Cloughs 2025

How We Began

KC Hope Walk To Remember 2019

BLOOM began in 1988 when three women came together after losing their babies.  They described themselves simply:

“We are a group of women who have experienced pregnancy and infant loss and found no one who understands or can assist us through the grief and trauma.  We have joined together to support each other.”

The first meeting had no attendees.  The second brought one.  By the third, four people came – and the community began to grow.  Over the decades, we’ve reached more than 150 families across the Kansas City area.

Though our name has changed – from The Pregnancy & Infant Loss Support Group to KC HOPE and now BLOOM – our mission remains the same: to offer comfort, connection, and hope to families navigating loss.

What BLOOM Means

BLOOM stands for Bringing Light Out Of Mourning.  Our name was inspired by the lotus flower, a sacred symbol in many cultures.  The lotus represents human suffering and the challenges we face.  Just as the lotus roots itself underwater and pushes through to bloom on the surface, parents navigating grief can emerge from life’s muddy waters to find hope, purpose, and beauty once again.

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If your life feels far from beautiful right now, if your lotus seems stuck beneath the water, BLOOM is here to sit with you in your grief.  Together, we help find meaning, connection, and the light that allows your life to bloom again.

BLOOM – Bringing Light Out Of Mourning … A Pregnancy & Infant Loss Support Group