NICU Grief Baskets

Melissa,

As always, FOUR THUMBS up to you (Ben and Me)! There is not much more to add to the wonderful list of great ideas given to you here on SHARE. I just wanted to say the thought of just giving a parent something that acknowledges their childs life and their loss is a valuable gift in itself......and there will be one unseen gift in the basket that will be the most memorable.....the HEARTs that put it together!!!

Thanks for all that you do!

Brenda & Benjamin (34 weeker born 12/24/99 with NEC)

Melissa

I think what you are doing with the baskets are wonderful. I feel anyone experiencing a premature birth with good or bad results would welcome the comfort that you are trying to do for them. I just wish that I had something like this when I lost my first son and had my third son prematurely. Keep up the good work.

Hugs,

Elizabeth B.

Hi,
I am a college student at Michigan State University. I volunteered at the Mother/Baby Unit this fall at our local hospital and I would like to continue to be involved in the promotion of health for babies. How can I do these baskets for my local hospitals and pregnancy centers?
Thank you!
Catie

I am sure that you can probably find someone to join up with in your area. Posting on here might help you find someone. You can also try calling your chapter office. Michigan Chapter Offices Hopefully they will be able to put you in touch with someone. Thank you so much for your interest. I can't tell you enough how much these baskets and items are appreciated.

Dear Catie,

How wonderful that you feel inspired to help babies have a healthier chance.

Under this heading: NICU Grief Baskets .... You will find many suggestions of what to put into these baskets, how to put them together, and where to take them.

You'll also find ways to fund this project. You could write a March of Dimes small community grant ... You could get local schools involved to collect certain items .... You could sell MOD beanies from Plushland ... Or organize a business to sell The World's Finest Chocolate ... There are always ways to make funds available for a project like this .... And certainly, there are always good citizens like you who are very willing to help!

I divided my baskets into 3 different categories: Welcome to the NICU, Grief, and Bedrest... Each basket should contain much of the same items ... But also items that are only appropriate for the *specific* category.

I doubt your MOD office knows much about this project...As this was a grassroots project .... Not one affiliated with the March of Dimes. However, many volunteers across the country *have* put together these baskets on *behalf* of the March of Dimes.

Inside every basket ... I put information *you CAN get this from your MOD office* that provided educational components to for the specific categories. For example: bed rest baskets may contain cards that tell the signs of pre-term labor and the importance of folic acid ..... A Welcome Basket may contain information about NICU vocabulary .... A Grief Basket may explain the stages of grief. All valuable information to the recipient of the basket.

You can contact hospitals and high risk doctor offices ... Ask them to store the baskets and give them as needed.....

There is so much one can do when tackling a project like this one.

Thanks so much for your interest!

Warmly,

Melissa

Hi everyone-I am not sure if someone already did this but I did and have sent this email to not only fuji film but to Kodak as well!

Dear Fuji Film,
I am hoping that this email gets to where I need it to. My name is Tana Bralski I am from Norristown, PA (right outside Philadelphia). The reason I am writing to you is that I am a member of the March of Dimes "share your story" website. The March of Dimes is devoted to help families whom have given birth to premature babies and to help those. I am one of those parents My little girl was born 23 weeks premature, My little girl Katherine Taylor "Katie" died 12 days later. One of the discussions on the site was about "welcome and Grief Baskets" one person mentioned that it would be wonderful if a company would donate cameras for such a basket for NICU units at different hospitals. Because of the unfortunate timing of a preemie, most families have yet to pack their " hospital bag".That is where you come in, I am hoping that you can direct me to the correct person to maybe help with donating cameras for NICU units. My little Katie was at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, If one of the staff members didnt have thier digital camera with them the day that Katie passed I would never have had a picture of me finally holding my little angel for the first and last time. Please help me and many of the other families that go through this unfortunate and tragic experience everyday .
Thank you so much
Tana Bralski
Norristown, PA

Melissa-

Please get in contact with me. I really want to do these NICU baskets in my local hospitals as well. I have many questions on how you want this done. Thank you.

Sarah
sschmizel@sbcglobal.net

I WOULD LIKE TO BE INVOLVED BUT DON'T KNOW HOW. PLEASE HELP

please contact me. I would love to get involved with this in my area and local NICU. Please feel free to contact me by phone or email.

Thanks
   Cindi
   (Mom of Gabriel, born at 30 weeks)
   Nightinggale2007@yahoo.com

(phone number deleted)

Dear Interested Volunteers .....

How wonderful that you feel inspired to help babies have a healthier chance.

Under this heading: NICU Grief Baskets .... You will find many suggestions of what to put into these baskets, how to put them together, and where to take them.

You'll also find ways to fund this project. You could write a March of Dimes small community grant ... You could get local schools involved to collect certain items .... You could sell MOD beanies from Plushland ... Or organize a business to sell The World's Finest Chocolate ... There are always ways to make funds available for a project like this .... And certainly, there are always good citizens like you who are very willing to help!

I divided my baskets into 3 different categories: Welcome to the NICU, Grief, and Bedrest... Each basket should contain much of the same items ... But also items that are only appropriate for the *specific* category.

I doubt your MOD office knows much about this project...As this was a grassroots project .... Not one affiliated with the March of Dimes. However, many volunteers across the country *have* put together these baskets on *behalf* of the March of Dimes.

Inside every basket ... I put information *you CAN get this from your MOD office* that provided educational components to for the specific categories. For example: bed rest baskets may contain cards that tell the signs of pre-term labor and the importance of folic acid ..... A Welcome Basket may contain information about NICU vocabulary .... A Grief Basket may explain the stages of grief. All valuable information to the recipient of the basket.

You can contact hospitals and high risk doctor offices ... Ask them to store the baskets and give them as needed.....

There is so much one can do when tackling a project like this one.

Thanks so much for your interest!

Warmly,

Melissa

I know of a company that sell disposable cameras in bulk , I believe the most affordable cameras they sell are like $1.75 a piece sor for 100 cameras you'll spend $140.00 of something like that also, you may want to ask for donations from other Share members to help make these baskets, I would be happy to help when I can. Hopefully this info helps you some the web site for the cameras is http://www.ecamerafilms.com

Bless you and your loved ones!