Candy’s daughter Grace was stillborn in 2001 due to a cord issue and she started Missing GRACE Organization in honor of Grace to help other families who have experienced a pregnancy or infant loss. As Co-founder and Executive Director of Missing GRACE Foundation (MGF) a 501(c)3, Candy has facilitated and moderated five GRACE Support Groups and she manages all the various Missing GRACE programs which help on average, more than 5000 families a year. In 2003, Candy began the work to pass a bill in Minnesota to help provide a certificate of birth for parents of a stillborn baby, who otherwise only received only a death certificate. In May 2005, after testifying in both House and Senate and gathering the support needed, the bill was passed unanimously and she was able to attend Governor Pawlenty’s signing of the bill into law.

In 2004, Candy formed the GRACE Crisis Care Program and began offering the services in several Minnesota hospitals providing timely care prior to and throughout the time surrounding a perinatal loss. Services parents receive include: a pregnancy photo session (when a poor outcome is known in advance), a GRACE Care Basket full of comforting items and resources, photography and videography with a “Making Memories Photo/ Video Session” in the hospital, a Memorial CD and DVD with a compilation of still photos and live video set to music, outfits made to fit babies 1 pound to term, funeral service planning, advocacy for parents to receive financial assistance and care, and ongoing grief support. After having personally assisted bedside during the perinatal losses of more than 400 parents, Candy developed a training program for the volunteer Crisis Care Team members that functions in partnership with the MGF hospital contracts. The team serves on-call 24/7.

A national speaker, Candy advocates for stillbirth prevention, compassionate health care and quality resources for bereaved, infertile and adoptive families. Thanks to Dr. Collins’ fetal monitoring and excellent care, her daughter Tatum, made a safe arrival into the world on 8-19-2005.
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