“This is such a big step in the right direction to let these parents know that their babies still have value and to recognize their existence. “When we went through our experience, we were part of a support group for moms who had stillbirths and neonatal deaths, and I think the experience has changed a lot,” she said. Susan said during the loss of her own daughter an angel gown program was not available, and she’s glad to see more hospitals offering them to bereaved families. “It felt really good to know that these dresses were going to such a good cause.” “We really value family-centered care at Akron Children’s, and this is just another way we show that,” said Allison. “To have that attachment with even just the same kind of fabric as the gown, it really means a lot.”Īs a former patient and now an employee at Akron Children’s, Allison said she feels a special connection with the hospital, and it means a lot that these gowns will be given to patient families. A new mom like this doesn’t have much to remember their baby by,” she said. Susan said the seamstress also made matching, heart-shaped keepsake pillows for the bereaved parents. Our group makes burial gowns for the tiny babies that do not get to go home with their parents, but are only here for such a short time. The donated dresses were washed, cut and sewn into at least a dozen small gowns, as well as baby bonnets and sleeping bags. Hillary’s Cherished Gowns used the dresses to sew more than a dozen infant bereavement gowns and accessories to give to Akron area families. Susan’s daughter, Leah, passed away at the age of 9 months, when Allison was 4 years old. Having lost a child myself, we felt a real connection.” “They’re not prepared, so it’s a nice blessing for those families. “For the families going through this, it’s such unexpected timing,” said Susan. I wanted to find a place to donate them, where they could do something good.”Īllison and Susan said they felt a personal connection to the organization’s mission. “I had also inherited my mother’s and my grandmother’s dresses, so suddenly I had three of these gowns. “I had been looking for something to do with my wedding dress,” said Susan. They donated all four dresses to Hillary’s Cherished Gowns, a volunteer organization comprised of seamstresses dedicated to sewing infant bereavement gowns and accessories for Akron area families. With four generations of wedding dresses hanging in their closets, Allison Harris, an audiologist at Akron Children’s, and her mother, Susan Arnold, decided to give their gowns a new purpose. (Photo provided by Susan Arnold.)įor families coping with the unimaginable loss of an infant, special garments known as “angel gowns” can offer a small bit of comfort in their time of grief. So please enjoy, Angels Wrapped In Love and remember us in your prayers that we continue to do God's work in this special mission.Four generations of wedding dresses were donated and repurposed into angel gowns. We want our babies dressed beautifully, remembering that this will be the only time a parent will be able to dress their special angel. Sad to say we lost Karen Drenner who is now in Heaven with our Angel Babies, but her legacy to our group is continued in the making of bonnets and caps and remembering her always because Karen is the one that came up with our name.Angels Wrapped In Love. In these pages I will show you the wonderful Angel Gowns, lovely bonnets and caps, along with burial and casket blankets, baptismal hankies and finally buntings, all made with love by our volunteers. Our Angels gowns are given FREE of charge to anyone who is in need. Now years later we have well over 2.3 k members on our Facebook page and scores of volunteers, some who spread the word for us, some who pick up and deliver the lovely wedding gowns, bridesmaid gowns and prom dresses to us.Īngels Wrapped in Love serves 45 hospitals across and along with several funeral homes across the United States. Most ask that your gowns be in good condition and clean. Many charities will accept your used gown, and most will accept wedding dresses year-round. I then asked Karen's daughter Crystal if she could do a Facebook page for our group. If you are planning to donate your wedding dress, you have several options. Then a friend Karen Drenner wanted to make bonnets to go with the gowns.how wonderful. I announced what I was going to do on my personal Facebook page and within a week I had 4 wedding gowns brought to me. My heart felt moved to work on this God given mission. In the spring of 2014 I found out about this wonderful project on Facebook. Angels Wrapped in Love.what does that mean? Our group makes burial gowns for the tiny babies that do not get to go home with their parents, but are only here for such a short time.
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