PEORIA, Ill. – For many mothers, Mother’s Day is a time of celebration with their children and families, spent enjoying each other’s company and gift-giving. For birthmothers, however, this day is often marked with remembering the loss of the child they placed in adoption. The Center for Youth and Family Solutions seeks to commemorate this sacrifice on Birthmother’s Day, May 11, at the First Annual Birthmother’s Day Balloon Launch.

The Birthmother’s Day celebration honors and remembers first mothers, whose children have been placed in adoption. Everyone in the community is welcome to attend the balloon launch, which will include a short ceremony.

Since 1990, the Saturday before Mother’s Day has been set aside as a special day to honor and remember the motherhood experience of birthmothers who placed their children in adoption. Founded in Seattle, the day purposefully falls on the day before Mother’s Day to symbolize the reality that a birthmother’s decision makes the adoptive mother’s motherhood possible.

The commemorative balloon launch will take place at The Center for Youth and Family Solutions office at 2610 W. Richwoods Blvd in Peoria at 11:00 a.m.