At 18 weeks we learned something was wrong. At 20 weeks we knew he was going to die. He had Bilateral Renal Agenesis which meant he never developed kidneys. We were told he was "incompatible with life". On February 17, 2025 our son Ellis was born at 32 weeks. He lived 75 minutes and then passed into his Savior's arms. Daily I wonder what I can do to keep him close to me. How can I honor him?

Around December of last year, while still carrying my growing yet dying child, the Lord placed it on my heart after reading A Gift of Time to raise funds to donate a Cuddle Cot in Ellis' name to a local hospital here in Alexandria. Not all hospitals are equipped to adequately care for fetal demise or neonatal death after delivery. Cuddle Cots provide dignity to the baby and family by providing cooling to the infant so parents and family can spend time with their loved one after death.

Please click the link to learn more about the Cuddle Cot system and what it does for families going through unimaginable grief. The price of the Cuddle Cot system is $2950.

https://cuddlecot.com/cuddlecot/

While Ellis did not get to benefit from a Cuddle Cot, we still took advantage of what the hospital had to offer and we were able to have him with us for 30 hours. I want to ensure that grieving parents in our community have the option to keep their baby with them for as long as they desire. These are the last moments with their child they will ever have. Cuddle Cots help to extend these last moments.

I would like to use any extra funds donated to purchase various gifts for bereavement baskets for mothers of fetal demise, stillbirth, or neonatal/infant loss. As someone who has been on the receiving end of many heartfelt gifts in the last 8 months, I would like to give back and curate baskets with meaningful and practical gifts that mothers can actually use. If you feel more comfortable knowing where your money is going, you can use the links to purchase the items yourself and I will put the baskets together. If not, all extra funds will be used to purchase as many gift baskets as I can make.

Sympathy Card

Scripture Cards on grief

Memorial Candle

Butterfly Garden Memorial Seed Set

Garden Wind Chimes

Devotional for miscarriage/stillbirth/infant loss

Spoonful of Comfort Gift Card

Guided Grief Journal

Book for Dads

Frida Mom Ice Pads

Frida Mom C-Section Silicone Strips

This is just a sampling of the items I would like to collect for the baskets. I will put together baskets based on what I receive.

If you are purchasing the items yourself, you can send them to my address or if you are purchasing an e-gift card you can send it to my email. Or, if you are a creator/artist and you feel called to make something for the baskets, please get in touch with me.

If you have also been unfortunate enough to be on the receiving end of gifts after a loss and you have any ideas for other items for the baskets, please email me. I want this to be a yearly thing so please consider donating as much as you can, when you can. I am setting the deadline for Ellis' 1st birthday of February 17, 2026. However, please help me make this something that lasts for years to come for Ellis' sake. For his memory.