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Sarah Grace Boxes ... calling all mumsnetters

63 replies

dejags · 06/10/2004 08:18

Hi Mumsnetters,

A friend of a friend recently lost her little girl at 3 days old to a rare heart condition called HLHS.

Sarah Grace Boxes

She has bravely gone on to setup a charity in her baby's name called Sarah Grace Boxes - it provides parents of premature babies and those who have suffered a neonatal loss with all they need to create a memory box for their baby.

The most urgent need is for blankets, newborn hats, booties and clothes. If you have any unwanted items I would be so grateful if you could send them on to me so that they can be recycled for the boxes. If you can help please contact me at [email protected].

Thanks so much in advance.
Love
Dejags

PS: have checked with the powers that be at MN and they are okay with me posting this

OP posts:
Gem13 · 06/10/2004 16:01

Dejags - this is so sad. What brave people to be doing this. What a good friend you are too.

I'll have a good look tonight. I know we have some little babygros and hats somewhere.

I see they were considering putting in casting kits too. We were given one for DS and didn't use it for him (forgot about it!) and it didn't seem fair somehow to use it for DD. Do you know if your friends would like it?

Will CAT you for the address.

dejags · 06/10/2004 16:41

Thanks everybody.

This is what the boxes contain (cut and pasted from Sarah's site)

Sarah?s boxes will each contain:

The box itself, which can be kept as a memory box.

A hat and blanket, for wearing in the incubator or dressing the baby in, so that in cases of premature labour where parents may not have clothes with them, their baby still has his / her own things.

Two teddies, identical. One for the baby to have with them, and to be buried with them, and one for the parents to keep.

A disposable camera and list of photos to take, to allow parents to have a set of pictures of their baby.

A photo album and frame that can be used either for family photos to be left with baby in Special Care, or to display baby?s photos at home.

A notebook and pens to record thoughts, feelings, visitors, medical terms, anything really!

An inkpad to take hand and foot prints.

A trinket box to hold a lock of hair or maybe hospital tags.

Information on support groups, and from Tommy?s (the baby charity) on coping with loss.

And possibly, dependant on costs, a hand / foot casting kit to make a 3D cast of baby?s hand or foot that can be kept and displayed at home.

If you are a knitter, we are delighted to accept and donations of hats and blankets in sizes from premature baby up to newborn. Contact us for more details. If you are a member of a group who could knit items, contact us and I?ll forward a short article about the boxes that you can display. Knitted donations may be photographed for the news page, so you could be famous! If you?d like to help in some other way, contact us with suggestions, and if you would like to make a donation to Sarah Grace Boxes, you?ll find a donate button on these pages, where you can make a donation using your cards and Paypal ? it?s quick and simple, you just need to register with a password for security. All donations will go towards buying more boxes, no admin costs or wages are drawn.

I truly believe that the opportunity we had to make mementos and the precious pictures, casts, prints etc that we have are a vital part of our mourning process, and have given us a way to remember Sarah as we start to move on. We want to give all parents who lose babies this chance. If you have any suggestions for improvements to the boxes, we?d be glad to hear them.

Sarah showed us what a huge capacity for love we had during her short life. We want our tribute to her to be a practical demonstration of that love to others who are suffering. In this way, her loss will bring some good.

In loving memory of

Sarah Grace Moran

12/4/04 ? 15/4/04

OP posts:
dejags · 06/10/2004 16:49

PS: I feel I should clarify - Sarah and her parents are friends of a friend. I didn't know them personally but I feel so humbled by this sad story and her mums attempts to make something good come out of something so tragic I had to try and help.

Any and all items in the boxes are required and knitted items for would also be very much appreciated.

dejags
xx

OP posts:
Bagpuss30 · 06/10/2004 17:06

dejags, have just read this and it is so sad . What a very brave family. My ds was born with a heart condition (though not quite as rare as Sarah's) and we were very nearly in the same situation with him. The boxes are a great idea and I would love to donate our moses basket sheets and blankets so that someone else may benefit. Shall I CAT you?

dejags · 06/10/2004 17:10

Bagpuss,

If you could email me: [email protected] that would be great

Thanks so much
Dejags

OP posts:
Bagpuss30 · 06/10/2004 17:20

Have just sent you a quick note .

Skate · 06/10/2004 17:31

Dejags -

So sad to hear this. My friend also lost her baby at full term - her little girl was stillborn, and takes me back to what an awful time that was.

Would be very happy to help - I've definitely got newborn clothes as ds3 is just about out of them at 5 weeks old.

What are the clothes actually for though? Are they to dress the baby in if parents have been unprepared? Sorry, I think someone else asked this earlier but I didn't see a reply.

My heart goes out to Sarah's parents. I don't know how anyone even begins to deal with this.

Skate

littlemissbossy · 06/10/2004 17:35

Dejags, very touched about this, just looking at those beautiful photos, I really can't begin to understand what they must have been through.
I haven't any baby things left - my ds is 4, so I'm presuming I'm ok to buy something and send it to you instead? any of the things listed?

dejags · 06/10/2004 17:47

Skate - the clothes are for parents if they are unprepared i.e. in the case of a premature birth. See below for a detailed list.

Thanks Littlemissbossy

OP posts:
GRMUM · 06/10/2004 17:57

I was going to contact the mother through her web site but will put it through you instead.I would be very happy to knit some items for this. I presume that this is a permanent charity? I only ask because I won't be very quick but would be very happy to make this a long term thing IYSWIM. Could you find out what would be most useful cardigans? hats? mitts? etc and a possible idea of size?

Thomcat · 06/10/2004 18:00

i've emailed you.

Dingle · 06/10/2004 18:09

Sorry if this has already been discussed but is this a one off appeal or will it be ongoing?
I may not have much at the moment BUT I do have a loft full of wool- I would be more than happy to knit the odd little prem hat or baby blanket in between my busy schedule.
I will email you dejags.

Dingle · 06/10/2004 18:11

OH, just noticed your post GRMUM,,ditto. Another knitter!

littlemissbossy · 06/10/2004 18:22

dejags, I've just emailed you

dejags · 06/10/2004 18:33

For those of you who knit - feel free to contact Sarah's mum through her website. It will probably be quicker and easier for her to pass on info about sizes etc.

OP posts:
dejags · 06/10/2004 18:39

however, am happy to pass on details if that's easier for you.

Dingle - I have passed your details on - thanks

OP posts:
Mirage · 06/10/2004 19:01

Reading this has set me off crying again.I have had a sort out of dd's newborn stuff & will email you.

I have lent a lot of bits to friends,but it will be coming back eventually,so I should be able to send some more things later.

sassy · 07/10/2004 07:48

Hoping this is a long-term appeal as I am due to give birth to my 2nd (hopefully last) child at Xmas. Will certainly send the tiny thngs off once the new-born phase is over.
What a brave and wonderful thing for these poor parents to do. Inspirational.x

dejags · 07/10/2004 08:07

Hi everybody,

A lot of you have asked if this is an ongoing charity - it most certainly is

I am looking after the [email protected] email account until I go to South Africa, after that a friend of mine will take it over. Not sure if she's joined mumsnet yet but if you have - you know who you are .

You are all stars

OP posts:
misdee · 07/10/2004 08:09

cant send clothes, but have a pile of blankets to srt thro. will see whats available and email you.

gscrym · 07/10/2004 08:17

Is this going to be based in the hospital where Sarah died?

littlerach · 07/10/2004 09:51

Will email you asap, just to add that DD1 was prem and we were unprepared, it was only down to donations from hospital that we had anything to dress her in. Fortunately she is fine.

dejags · 07/10/2004 16:08

bump

OP posts:
susanmt · 07/10/2004 16:18

dejags - what sort of size of blankets etc is it, anything specific? It's just that my Gran knits a lot and is always looking for things to knit for, and this sort of thing woul dbe right up her street, she would love to do it. Would it just be whatever she could do or are they looking for anything in particular.

It's a fabulous idea. 2 friends of ours have sadly had stillbirths in the last year, and I know this is the sort of thing that they would have benfitted from immensely. I'd love to be able to do something to help, but I've got rid of almost all my baby stuff now. But I know Gran would love to be involved.

I used to work shifts in an old people's home when I was at University and there wre lots of old dears looking for knitting to do. Have you or they thought about contacting a residential home locally and asking if the ladies could do some knitting for them?

littlemissbossy · 07/10/2004 16:20

Hi dejags, I'm having problems with my email, so the email I thought I'd sent you yesterday didn't send
Is it possible to post a contact address on here? - I've bought something today for the appeal and want to post it tomorrow.

Thanks