South Jersey Mom's Miscarriage Awareness Campaign Goes Global

Dana Dewedoff lost her second son, Benjamin, in June in a miscarriage.

To honor her son, she started an online campaign called Project Benjamin to bring together women also dealing with the loss of children.

Dewedoff was already active in women's health and wellness, having founded an organization called RISE — For Women two years ago. The goal of her group is to empower and unite struggling women.

"We're trying to let them know they should talk about loss," Dewedoff said. "They do count."

For Project Benjamin, she and others are using #TheyMatterToo. The recent movement has spurred interest all over social media. The RISE page on Facebook has more than 10,000 followers.

Women on the RISE: Showing Bravery, Coping with Loss of Miscarriage

In 2016, Dewedoff was searching for a way to cope with her single-mother status and daily workplace demands.

"I needed a support system," Dewedoff said. "I wanted women to have different resources to go to for support."

After hearing Katy Perry’s "Rise," a top-20 hit at the time, the song’s lyrics inspired Dewedoff to rise above the struggles she faced, and provide the same support for those alike.

RISE first rose to prominence last year when the foundation campaigned with #StruggleDoesNotHaveALook. Women posted using the hashtag while holding signs bearing their children’s names — both living and lost — with reasons why their children were so important to them and how they felt at the time.

The goal of the organization around that time shifted to "overcoming struggle as a whole," Dewedoff said, particularly those dealing with the difficulty of a miscarriage.

RISE continues to campaign in raising support and awareness for current growing health issues.

"Raising awareness has become the main focus of RISE," she said. "Awareness on various health topics is the future of RISE."