Pink & Blue Ribbon Foundation provides support through miscarriage, infant loss, and all that follows
Founder Bock wants to help others navigate overwhelming circumstances

Nicolette Bock, founder and president of the Pink & Blue Ribbon Foundation, wants to financially and emotionally support individuals and families struggling with infertility, miscarriage, and infant loss.
The March of Dimes, an organization advocating for maternal and child health, estimates 10 to 20 percent of known pregnancies end in miscarriage, and the World Health Organization (WHO) states nearly two million babies are stillborn each year.
Additionally, according to the WHO, available data suggests that globally, one in six people experience infertility in their lifetime.
These statistics show that many people are touched by infertility, miscarriage and infant loss.
Blue Earth native Nicolette Bock is one of them.
After losing her son in 2018, Bock founded the Pink & Blue Ribbon Foundation, which is committed to providing financial and emotional support, resources, advocacy and hope for individuals and families impacted by reproductive and prenatal challenges, as well as infant and child loss.
Bock’s personal story of loss began when she attended a routine ultrasound appointment in late 2017.
“They did some scans, and saw that there were a couple markers they wanted to look into,” she recalls. “We were up at the University of Minnesota the next day for some genetic testing, and we found out that it was Trisomy 18.”
Trisomy 18 is a condition in which a baby is born with an extra chromosome 18. It results in symptoms such as low birth weight, a small, abnormally shaped head, and birth defects in organs that are often life-threatening.
“It is a condition that is considered incompatible with life,” Bock explains. “That left us with some big decisions to make. For us, the right decision was carrying to term.”
Although the doctors warned Bock it was likely her pregnancy would not reach full-term, she was able to carry her son for 35 weeks, at which point she was induced.
Her son, Harrison Samuel Bock, was delivered at the M Health Fairview Masonic Children’s Hospital in Minneapolis on Feb. 1, 2018.
“He lived for about 10 hours,” Bock says.
She remembers feeling overwhelmed not just by the circumstances, but also by all that came afterward.
“We went through that with great insurance, and we still left the hospital that day with empty arms and thousands and thousands of dollars of medical bills,” Bock recalls. “And, every time you get a bill, it’s not just a reminder of the financial sting; it keeps that grief very raw.”
Additionally, although she had access to many services and excellent support staff, Bock says the system is challenging to navigate after going through a painful loss.
“You don’t want to need any of those services to begin with,” Bock observes. “By the time you’ve processed your own grief, let alone what you need, you don’t remember what’s an option to you, and you’re exhausted. The idea of having to reach for help is just too much.”
She continues, “We were made very aware of the services that were lacking or just didn’t seem attainable enough. We wanted to serve as that bridge between services that already existed, and those who need them.”
So, Bock founded the Pink & Blue Ribbon Foundation in November of 2020 with that purpose in mind.
The foundation raises funds to serve those impacted by infertility, miscarriage, premature birth, stillbirth and infant loss. The funds are allocated to help cover the cost of medical bills, counseling services and other expenses.
A portion of the foundation’s proceeds also go toward the M Health Fairview University of Minnesota Masonic Children’s Hospital for research purposes.
Additionally, the foundation promotes advocacy and community networking, helping connect those who provide services with the people who need them.
Bock says that both she and the foundation’s board members are exclusively volunteers.
“Aside from the cost of hosting some fundraising events, all of our proceeds go straight back to families,” she says. “And, many of the venues and vendors that we’ve worked with have been really gracious about discounted rates and donations allowing us to keep our costs low.”
Bock notes the foundation has also had many generous sponsors. She identifies Minnesota River Valley Title and Abstracting as a huge supporter, as well as the Tailwind Group in Mankato, Mayo Clinic and Mankato Clinic.
“UHD (United Hospital District) has sponsored us every year,” she adds.
The foundation held its first annual fundraiser, the Pink & Blue Ribbon Gala, in 2021.
“It’s a somber cause, but it’s a really fun event,” Bock says. “We have good food and good music, and it’s a chance for people to get together and support what we do.”
The fundraiser – held most recently on Jan. 20 – has been a marker of the foundation’s growth over the years.
“This past year, it was so awesome to see faces that we’ve never seen before,” Bock says. “It was no longer just friends and family; it was people from the communities that were there to support and get behind the mission.”
She hopes to see the Pink and Blue Ribbon Foundation experience still more growth in the years to come.
The foundation has built a strong base through the Mayo and Mankato Clinic systems, but Bock notes its services are needed elsewhere, too. In particular, she would like to expand its mental health service offerings through initiatives such as a regular support group.
The foundation also took the Mac Initiative under its umbrella recently, which is committed to providing mental health services to those suffering from stillbirth, infant or neonatal loss.
“I want to bring more of the mental health services to Southern Minnesota,” Bock says. “As of right now, women that doctor through Mankato Clinic or Mayo have the ability to get those referrals, but I want to expand that to local providers.”
Bock adds individuals are still able to request the foundation’s funds or services without going through a healthcare provider.
“If you’ve had a loss and you need help, you can reach out on our website,” she explains. “We’ve donated money for just people too.”
The foundation’s website can be found at pinkandblueribbonfoundation.com. Donations, which are always appreciated, can be submitted at the same site.
In conclusion, Bock clarifies that the Pink and Blue Ribbon Foundation strives to provide finances and services for its beneficiaries, but not advice.
“We want to support people through difficult circumstances without being judgmental,” she explains. “It is never our job to influence someone’s decision; it’s just to support them with resources.”
And, she observes that the smallest acts of kindness and support can add up in the biggest ways.
“Those little touches of kindness, they come,” Bock says. “When you’re going through a tragic loss, people say, ‘If you need anything, let me know,’ and they mean it, but you don’t know what you need. It’s a hard place to be in, but it’s nice knowing you have the support. When you do figure out what you need, hopefully the foundation is a place you can go.”