Parents of newborn babies often collect keepsakes such as pictures, footprints, handprints and outfits to remember their little one’s first days. For those who lose a baby, these items are even more valuable and precious.

The Parkview Regional Medical Center (PRMC) Newborn Intensive Care Unit (NICU) wanted to help with the bereavement process for families who experience infant loss. Through the compassion and generosity of donors through the Parkview Foundation, the PRMC NICU now provides Memory Boxes for parents in that time of grief. These boxes can hold special mementos collected by family and help loved ones heal.

The box may contain items such as photographs, bracelets, hats, blankets, stuffed animals, cards or diapers. Others have baby rings, footprint supplies or create-a-mold casting supplies to make hand/foot molds.

NICU Patient Care Coordinator, Amanda Godwin, BSN, RN said, “Our desire is to give the family physical reminders of the time they had with their baby. Previously, we put all of those physical reminders in a box that held CDs to give to the family. With generous gifts from Foundation donors, we were able to purchase beautiful memory boxes that are padded and covered in a dark purple satin fabric with a beautiful ribbon closure.”

Research has shown that remembrance items not only provide parents with lasting memories, they also help affirm their identity as parents after leaving the hospital. The memory boxes validate a baby’s life, no matter how brief.

 “The NICU has such a heart for families who lose a baby,” Amanda said. “We want to shower them with as much support and love as we can. Placing the physical reminders of the time they had with their baby into something beautiful can hopefully provide them with a glimpse of the amount of care we have for them.”

To learn more about Memory Boxes or how to make a gift, please email Amanda.Godwin@parkview.com.