Our History

Our History


From one family’s loss to a home for thousands. PILSC was built on the belief that no one should grieve alone.

2019
A Seed Was Planted

On February 13, 2019, Aditi Loveridge opened PILSC's first doors in a donated space in Northeast Calgary — a small beginning shaped by a profound personal experience of pregnancy and infant loss. Within months, the community responded with overwhelming love: more than 55 bereaved parents came together for the first community photoshoot, and 75 community members, health care providers, and donors attended the official Launch Party. By May, PILSC had gained charitable status, deepening partnerships with Mount Royal University and the University of Calgary and setting the stage for everything to come. Danyelle Kaluski joined as Co-Founder that same year, bringing a shared vision and a commitment that would carry the organization forward for years to come.

2019 By the Numbers

150 coaching & counselling sessions • 46 unique peer support clients • 54 alternative therapy sessions • 55+ bereaved parents at the community photoshoot

2020
Resilience in the Storm

January 2020 brought PILSC into its first space of its own, in the neighbourhood of Sunalta, Calgary. Then the world changed. When COVID-19 forced the closure of in-person support, the team pivoted to virtual programming in weeks. That move didn't slow them down; it launched PILSC into a global support system. Peer support group attendance grew by 300%. Mental health sessions increased by 213%, with one in five new clients coming from remote communities across Alberta. With support from the Calgary Foundation, all mental health services became available at no cost. And when families needed immediate, anonymous connection, the Pregnancy & Infant Loss Helpline launched with 55 volunteers ready to answer the call.

2020 By the Numbers

320 mental health sessions • 632 unique clients • 401 helpline conversations • 300% increase in peer support group attendance • Team grew to 5 paid staff

2021
Putting Down Roots

2021 was the year PILSC became a real institution. First multi-year funding from the City of Calgary allowed the team to hire more mental health practitioners and grow from 5 to 10 paid staff during a global pandemic. The organization surpassed 2,000 unique client interactions and deepened its commitment to inclusive support, launching a South Asian Loss Group in partnership with Punjabi Community Health Services, an expanded 2SLGBTQIA+ group, a Termination for Medical Reasons group, and a post-abortion group in partnership with the Kensington Clinic. PILSC also held the inaugural BereaveWithMe Grief Conference, bringing the loss community together in new and meaningful ways.

2021 By the Numbers

2,159 client interactions • 1,281 peer support group clients • 675 mental health sessions • 597 helpline conversations • 10 paid staff

2022
Finding Our Voice

In 2022, PILSC found powerful new ways to bring the loss community together in public and with pride. The first Annual Legacy Run/Walk united hundreds of participants and raised over $93,000 — a statement that pregnancy and infant loss would no longer be carried in silence. The inaugural BereaveWithMe Conference created space for education, advocacy, and connection across the broader grief community. And when the Tiny Footprints Foundation entrusted its beloved annual gala to PILSC, it marked a passing of the torch that the team would carry with care and dedication for years to come.

2022 Highlights

First Annual Legacy Run/Walk: over $93,000 raised • First BereaveWithMe Conference • Tiny Footprints Gala transitioned to PILSC stewardship

2023
Reaching Further

2023 was a year of records and recognition. The 2nd Annual Legacy Run/Walk brought 462 participants together and raised $107,821, surpassing every goal set. The 8th annual Tiny Footprints Gala raised over $68,000. Client interactions reached 3,300 for the year. And in a moment of national recognition, Founder Aditi Loveridge received the prestigious Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Medal, an honour that reflected the profound impact PILSC had quietly built over five years. The year also saw the launch of no-cost Indigenous Memorial & Ceremony Boxes, thanks to funding from Dow Canada, expanding the circle of support to communities whose grief had too often gone unacknowledged.

2023 By the Numbers

3,300 client interactions • 1,864 mental health sessions • 1,222 peer support clients • $107,821 raised at Legacy Run/Walk • 148 no-cost comfort boxes distributed

2024
Widening Our Circle

PILSC continued to grow its community in 2024, both in numbers and in the kinds of connection it created. The 3rd Annual Legacy Run/Walk raised over $116,000, and PILSC introduced something new: the first Healing Hearts Afternoon Tea, a tender gathering that raised over $37,000 and showed that healing can take many forms. Behind the scenes, the team continued its quiet, essential work: 2,585 client interactions, 1,140 counselling sessions, and 1,206 peer support group clients. As Aditi wrote at year's end: "What moves me most are the countless individual moments that do not make headlines — the quiet relief in someone's voice when they feel heard."

2024 By the Numbers

2,585 client interactions • 1,140 mental health sessions • 1,206 peer support clients • $116,000+ raised at Legacy Run/Walk • $37,000+ raised at Healing Hearts Tea

2025
A New Home

Despite significant funding challenges, 2025 brought PILSC to a larger, more accessible, and more inclusive space in Fish Creek, Calgary — a home built for the community it serves. The 4th Annual Legacy Run/Walk raised over $135,000, a new record and a testament to the loyalty and generosity of the people who believe in this work. The move to Fish Creek was not just logistical; it was a declaration of intent. PILSC was not shrinking. It was expanding, in every sense of the word.

2025 Highlights

Expanded to Fish Creek, Calgary • 4th Annual Legacy Run/Walk: over $135,000 raised

2026
Passing the Torch

In 2026, Founder and CEO Aditi Loveridge stepped down after seven years of extraordinary leadership, passing the torch to Co-Founder Danyelle Kaluski as PILSC's new CEO. This transition was not an ending but a continuation — built on the same values of compassion, inclusion, and the fierce belief that every family deserves support. PILSC also launched a thoughtful inclusive rebrand, reaffirming its commitment to welcoming every person who arrives at its door. The next chapter is already underway

Our Promise

We honour the vision that started this organization by showing up for every family — with empathy, respect, and care. Now and for generations to come.

You are part of our story

Thank you to every family, volunteer, donor, and community partner who has helped shape our history
and enables us to continue this important work

Notice: Holiday Closure

Our offices and warm line will be closed from December 22, 2025 to January 4, 2025.
We will return on Monday, January 5th.

If you are experiencing a medical emergency, please call 911. For immediate mental health support or if you are in emotional distress, please call or text 988 to reach the Suicide Crisis Helpline.

If you are able, consider making a holiday donation. Your support helps ensure our programs, warm line, and peer support remain available to those who need them most in the year ahead.

Starts In

Days :
Hours :
Minutes :
S

Holiday Season Day Retreat!

As the holidays approach, take a pause for yourself. 

Our day retreat offers a sacred space for connection, ritual-making, and personal reflection. Together, we’ll explore the importance of honoring our losses while navigating the season’s challenges.

This special event aims to raise vital funds to keep the Pregnancy & Infant Loss Support services at no cost.

Book with Erin Winters

In order to book with Erin, please contact us at info@pilsc.org

NOTE: Refrain from providing detailed personal information when emailing us. Feel free to describe your challenges in brief, and leave out personal details that you only wish to share with Erin.