Mrs. Duck Updates pictured left: Hawk & Kara Jones Founders of KotaPress

Just wanted to give everyone an update about the Mrs. Duck Project. When this started four years ago, after the death of our son, I had simply written a little story and wanted to share it with other bereaved parents. Many things have evolved for us since then.

Over 1,000 copies of the book have been given away free to bereaved families. Several more hundred have been sold to various readers who wished to support our work by purchasing the book. We've had millions of hit on our website where we offer the book in free ebook and Flash animation versions. We've heard from parents, grandparents, RNs, OBs, midwives, grief therapists and many more about the impact this little book has had on them. We are grateful for every single word of feedback!

Now, in 2003, we have updates about the Mrs. Duck Project:

-We've sadly learned that more than 29,000 families per year in the U.S. alone suffer the death of a child to stillbirth. Over 120,000 children die every year in the U.S. -- and 70% of those children are under a year old (as noted from the MISS Foundation). And the worldwide count in addition to the number of miscarriages (not included in the numbers above), well, the numbers of deaths just rise exponentially. We've decided that we like to progress the Mrs. Duck Project to offer outreach to any and all of these families. While the story will remain the same, we will be expanding the book to include a support article or two, along with resources for finding online and off-line support after the death of a child, regardless of circumstances. We hope to make this edition of the book available by 2004.

-We are honored to have had the generosity of time and expertise from Carla Hoffman, Nicole Maxwell, and Magdalena Arze Maxwell as they traslated the story for us into the Spanish!! Again we hope to have the Spanish edition available by 2004.

-We are thrilled to announce that we have found an amazing gentleman who does grant writing for a living. It looks like we may be able to do some work with him to try and advance the Mrs. Duck Project by finding some financial support for the developments mentioned above and to start moving toward the creation of a fully cinematic digitally animated version of the story which will also include documentary footage of interviews with bereaved parents and care-givers. We'll let you know as things progress!

-As always if you are able to support the project through the donation of money or time or expertise, we'd be thrilled to talk with you. For all of you who are so generously offering these things already, we are most grateful!

Miracles,

Kara L.C. Jones
Founder, KotaPress
Author, Mrs. Duck & The Woman