top of page
Back to top

Towards healing from abortion

 

Through my own abortion experience I have come to realise many women feel the same—that it can be difficult to gain any sense of closure. There is no grave to visit, no tangible way of remembering. Until now.

 

In a nutshell, the Buttons Project aims to collect buttons—thousands of buttons—to commemorate the babies we never met. To enable anyone affected by abortion—not only mothers, but fathers, grandparents, siblings, “to do something when there is nothing you can do.”

For some it will be a way of simply remembering, for others a step on the journey of healing. Some buttons come with stories, some don't—and all of them will be displayed in a respectful manner.  Physical buttons received will be sewn on wall hangings and other buttons submitted via our Virtual Buttons Memorial.

​

Together we will create a memorial. To remember, to grieve, to love. What happened mattered.

See Marina's story -
https://www.buttonsproject.org/about-marina

 

—MARINA YOUNG

Watch the "Little Button" music video written by Richard Dawson, with Jackie Lowry and performed by Debbie Shepherd.

Buttons Project Button

Why a button?

 

It is easy to find and easy to send. It can be unique—representing a personal loss. It can symbolise closure, or security. Buttons are long-lasting, though fabric may fade or tear. Buttons join; buttons bring together. We are not alone.
Buttons Project Button
see the buttons
At last I feel I can confront and grieve about the wee soul that didn't get a chance at life.
Last Friday, my child would have been around 23 if he/she was allowed to live.
It chokes me up thinking about the potential that has been lost . . .
Thank you soooooo much for the Buttons Project.
The blue button is for Paul or Paula (so sad to not even know that).
I love and will miss them always, I'm sorry I didn’t give them everything they needed and deserved.
I want to thank you for this opportunity to publicly mark the lives of my babies.
May “she” who never lived on this earth enjoy her time being remembered with all the other “buttons"
A button to remember or wonder at how life would turn out if I didn’t go through with the abortion.
In remembrance of my niece/nephew lost to abortion.
For my baby Hope who will never be forgotten.

in memory of...

To honour the life of a niece/nephew I never had the joy to meet and watch grow into an adult.
For my sibling. Mum and dad decided to abort their 4th child...
One button for the baby of a friend.
For the nieces/nephews I never got to know. I feel sad I wasn’t a better support for their mums.
I now acknowledge I was carrying a precious baby and it was a loss of a little life. I name him Adam
One of my five buttons representing relatives I know of and three are friends.
Here are five buttons—two representing relatives I know of mine, the other three are friends.
God bless you.

Hover your cursor over the buttons for at least 3 seconds to see the message that came with the buttons.

​

You can also visit our virtual Buttons Memorial.

To remember “Patrick” because he was aborted on St Patrick's Day.
Never forgotten.
Precious little button.
...representing my friends baby.
I feel good to be able send this somewhere and someone will understand what they read about you.
Sent in envelope anonymous “in remembrance”.
Buttons Project received this button wrapped up in tissue in an envelope.
I give thanks for your project as a way of closure and acknowledgement.
February 2012 “Precious”.
Thank you so much xxx
Thank you for your project. Without it, I may not have ever spoken about it.
It is for my baby aborted in 1983.
My daughter chose the lion for our first son lost.
Our son chose this button for our first baby lost, his brother.
Remembering my siblings lost.
For my nephew x
For my niece x
Here’s my precious button.
I didn’t know what I was doing—if I did I wouldn’t have done it.
I will never forget what I’ve done, what I have lost.
A precious button means another little button lived.
There’s no doubt in my mind that I loved my baby that I gave back to the stars, I just couldn’t love them enough x.
A handmade button. Named my baby “Honour”.
Made with love for the baby I never got to hold in my arms.
It will be nearly 48 years since I aborted my first baby.
Sadly I aborted my second baby 35 yrs ago.
For my older sibling “Hope” aborted.
Always in my heart, never forgotten "Zeike" 13th September 1996.
Always in my heart, never forgotten "Precious" 13th March 1988.
“Anthony” 1981.
“Henna” 2001.
It is a day I will never forget…
In remembrance of our aborted grandchild who will never be forgotten.
Given in remembrance when Buttons Project visited Central Hawkes Bay.
Receive for baby aborted when Buttons Project visited central Hawkes Bay.
18 hearts, one heart for every year I battle to come to terms with abortion before finding healing.
This button is for the “little sea-horse-like” angel that came out of me when I was only 16.
You are on my mind and in my heart always.
You never leave my heart x.

send a button

The button that you choose is special and unique to you, representing a life lost. So when you select your button, I would suggest getting two—one to send and one to keep for yourself. Or you may like to take a photo of it.

 

It is also important to remember the date of when you sent your button. You are welcome to send a physical button or via the Virtual Buttons Memorial. The physical buttons received, are catalogued and being sewn on to wall hangings. These will eventually be displayed in an appropriate place as a memorial and  a safe place to visit without judgement.

 

If you file the date of when you sent your button, you will have safe place to visit and a better chance of spotting it if you visit the memorial display. All correspondence will be acknowledged where return addresses are supplied. No names or identifying details will be used anywhere.

 

Check out the Buttons Project Facebook page for regular updates.

To send your button:
Please email info@buttonsproject.org for postal address, as we have closed post office box.  Thank you.
virtual memorial:
You can also send your button to our virtual Buttons Memorial
send a button

Partner with us

 

Our vision

  • To provide mental, emotional, and spiritual healing to any person who has been affected by abortion, whether that be the mother, father or other persons.

Our mission

  • To provide compassionate, non-judgmental, and genuine care for women and men seeking healing for dealing with abortion grief or regret.

Our aim

  • Provide a safe place for stories to be heard – you are not alone.

  • To bring hope and possibilities into someone’s life, who is struggling with the impact of having an abortion.

  • To facilitate post abortion recovery programmes and online support.

  • To connect with counselling services and form networking groups.

  • To never stop learning and resource initiatives that help men and women in their journey of healing.

  • Speak at seminars, community groups and whenever the opportunity arises to educate and bring awareness to Post Abortion Stress.

  • To take the time and be the reason someone feels welcomed, seen, heard, valued, loved and supported.

  • To collect and display buttons as a symbolic way to acknowledge, grieve and commemorate the babies lost to abortion.  

​

Buttons Project is a not-for-profit NZ Charitable Trust CC51026

Alone we can do so little, together we can do so much. We welcome donations, whether they’re a one-off, regular donation or a legacy donation—your contribution, no matter how big or small, will make a difference for women, men and  families across our community!

 

You can make a donation via our Give a Little page

​
 

To become an Automatic Payment donor or to make an online donation via internet banking, please use these bank details:

Buttons Project Trust  BNZ 02-0120-0265177-000

 

Any contributions you make are tax deductible. Please use your full name as a reference when you set up your automatic payment or online donation.

 

Thank you for your support,
Marina and team
support us
Buttons Project Button
contact us

contact us

Buttons Project Button
Buttons Project Button

Thanks for getting in touch!

bottom of page