When a family loses an infant, it can be one of the most heartbreaking moments in life. Many families struggle to understand how their loved ones can leave them so suddenly. At UCLA Mattel Children’s Hospital, we strive to provide a supportive environment for grieving families. We work to help them navigate through their child’s health journey by providing them with the best care in the country.
We do this by providing compassionate support, innovative therapies and the latest technologies in pediatric medicine. We also offer patient and family-centered services such as Chase Child Life/Child Development Program, specialized emotional support and language services to ensure that our patients’ families receive effective communication.
In this grand tapestry of life, there are times of immense joy and heartbreaking sorrow. In these times of despair, sometimes a beacon of hope shines through. That light is represented by an organization that was started by a nurse and is supported by a group of seamstresses who turn donated wedding dresses into beautiful infant burial gowns, known as Angel Gowns.
The gowns are provided to hospitals, birthing centers and funeral homes free of charge. When a family is in mourning, it can be comforting to have a special garment to dress the baby for their final pictures or burial.
Using donated wedding gowns, a group of volunteers in Fort Worth, Texas, is lovingly transforming these bridal pieces into gowns that are then given to grieving families across the nation. This nonprofit, NICU Helping Hands, was started by a mother of two young boys after her own experiences with miscarriage and stillbirth. The group’s volunteer seamstresses have already made about 2,500 gowns, and they plan to offer them nationally.
Judi Gibson, a registered nurse, launched the program in 2014. She read about a similar program in a local newspaper and sought out nearby seamstresses to help her. Among those recruited was Edith Bryson, who now lives in Portsmouth, Virginia. The 66-year-old retired teacher loves to personalize the gowns. She sews phrases like “heaven’s angel” and adds antique buttons that she has collected. She also adds gold or silver bells, inspired by the scene in It’s a Wonderful Life when Jimmy Stewart’s character rings his bell to welcome Clarence home.
The gowns are created for both boys and girls, in sizes that fit the tiniest preemies to full-term babies. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, an average of 24 million babies are born in the United States every year, and approximately 2.7 million of them will die before reaching their first birthday.
Each gown takes between 12 to 20 wedding dresses. They are washed, cut and sewn into gowns, as well as angel caps for newborns who will not live long enough to be dressed and buried, and a small pillow to hold for family photos or a memorial. The brides who donate their wedding dresses are often touched by the experience of having their dresses used to create something so special for a family in need.