When a baby is born premature or stillborn, the hospital wraps them in special clothing called angel gowns. The gowns are made from donated wedding dresses remade into sizes small enough to fit the tiniest babies. The gowns allow families to take photos and hold their infant for a short time, even though they will never leave the hospital alive.
A nurse in the cardiovascular surgery ICU at Mayo Clinic, Lynn Gaber knows all too well how important these gowns are to families coping with a loss of an unborn child. She has put her heart into making the tiny gowns from donated wedding dresses to help give a little bit of comfort during a traumatic and heartbreaking time.
She was inspired to start the project after her son and daughter-in-law lost their own baby at 18 weeks gestation. Gaber was working at Empty the Nest, a home clean out and thrift store in Golden Valley, when she saw a dress that was perfect for an angel gown. She immediately knew what she had to do.
The result was Angel Gowns, an organization that is now in more than 20 states and four countries. They have given away thousands of gowns to families who have suffered the loss of an infant. “The need is so great,” she said. “There are so many places that have never had anything like this, and it makes such a difference.”
Diane Wright is another seamstress who has put her passion into giving dignity to grieving families and angel babies. Wright is a member of Grandview United Methodist Church and works as a nurse practitioner. Her granddaughter told her about a project at a local hospital that provided burial gowns for stillborn babies. Knowing her grandmother was an accomplished seamstress, Wright volunteered to help.
In addition to the angel gowns, Wright and her group make prayer shawls, blankets and other items for those dealing with a life-changing medical event or loss. They also send the gowns to hospitals around the world where there are no similar programs.
Sunshine State Angel Gowns has provided thousands of bereavement gowns, memory blankets and keepsake angels for hurting families in their time of grief. They are a fully volunteer run organization, and every donation is used for the purpose it was intended, to provide hope and healing in the hands of grieving families.
Whether it’s $30 or one wedding dress, you can change the lives of these hurting families. You can purchase a beautiful, handmade angel, or you can donate to the program to help with materials and shipping costs. Every dollar you give helps to honor the life of a tiny, precious little angel. Click here to learn more about the program and how you can help.