AKRON, Ohio (WKYC) — Every year, more than 24,000 babies are stillborn or die shortly after birth. This is a tragedy no parent ever wants to experience, but it does happen. And many parents are unprepared for how to respond when they do.
That’s why a former labor and delivery nurse is using her new chapter in retirement to provide grieving families with something they never expected — tiny, handmade gowns stitched from wedding dresses. They’re called angel gowns, and they help families remember their baby.
A few years ago, Kathleen Soholt spotted an old wedding dress at a thrift store in Golden Valley, Minnesota, and knew it was meant for something bigger than herself. Soholt contacted a local seamstress who could turn the dress into an angel gown for the infants at her local hospital, and the rest is history.
She’s now donating her creations to hospitals across the country. In fact, she’s even sent her gowns to four other countries. Soholt says these special gowns — also known as angel suits or angel pockets — are not commonly available at hospitals, and it’s something she wanted to change.
As a nurse at Mayo Clinic, she knows the loss of a baby is one of the most heartbreaking experiences a person can have. And while nothing can take away the grief, she believes these gowns offer families a little bit of comfort and hope.
And that’s why she continues to make them — now in more than 30 states and four other countries. “It’s very gratifying to know that my gowns are making an impact worldwide,” she said.
The gowns are made from donated wedding dresses, and a single dress can produce as many as 30 angel gowns. Each one comes with a cap or bonnet and a blanket to wrap the infant in. And while every gown is different, each one has the same beautiful detail and love that went into the original dress.
Soholt’s goal is to keep making these gowns and share them with families in need. She has a back closet full of fabric, ribbons, gallon zip-lock bags and more — everything she needs to keep making the tiny angel gowns. And as she works, she keeps a plastic baby model by her side to remind herself why she does it.
For more information about Sunshine State Angel Gowns, including how to donate a dress, click here. The organization is hosting a fundraiser Sunday at Rhythm and Smooth in Casselberry to raise money for the cause. To purchase tickets or contribute items for the silent auction, click here. The event runs from 1pm – 4pm. The proceeds from the fundraiser will go toward purchasing supplies for the next batch of gowns.