Support Daisy's Legacy: A Gift of Time

On Thursday August 10th, 2023, Dean and I (Daisy's mother) entered Daisy’s NICU room to what we now know to be the last Thursday of her life. Daisy suffered a severe brain injury during delivery called Hypoxic Ischemic Encephalopathy (HIE). During her six-and-a-half-week life, Daisy fought extremely hard through countless tests, procedures, and gained strength the best she could. Daisy told us, her parents, and her medical team, that she was ready to be comfortable and at peace. Listening to Daisy, we transitioned to a family friendly room for the remainder of her life. We held her closely, caressed her hands and head, swaddled her, and studied every inch of her. From her smooth brown hair to her long fingernails, we took it all in. It seemed time was not on our side; it had never been. We knew with every care check-in by the nursing staff, every change in her care plan, every hour, we were getting closer to saying goodbye to our girl. Daisy’s big brother, Bryce, was able to visit and snuggle her. Grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, and a few great grandparents were able to hold her. These moments and memories are some of the most cherished we have of Daisy’s time with us. On August 12th, 2023, Daisy fell into her forever sleep in my arms with her dad by our side.

While working through the grieving process, we were able to connect with many other families that have lost their beloved children and many who have been impacted by HIE. Through these conversations, we learned about medical equipment developed to help families in the last moments with their babies. We discovered the Cenotaph Cradle , a bassinet with a special cooling system designed to preserve the child during their last moments. This cradle gives families experiencing a loss like ours the gift of time. Time to create memories, such as photos, memorabilia crafts, and continued physical touch. Time to grieve, moments of closure, and to express final goodbyes.

A parent never imagines losing their child. It is a thought that cannot be described or truly understood. A parent also never imagines how to best honor their child and continue to weave the child’s memory into every passing moment, day, year. We would like to give bereaved families something we all wish we had more of…time. Time to hold their loved infant. Time to brush hair, stroke fingers, and study every inch of the child.

Daisy lived at the Albany Medical Center NICU during her short but precious time on Earth. To honor her memory, we have created this fundraiser to provide the Albany Med NICU with a Cenotaph Cradle. When Daisy passed away, we did not have a device like the Cenotaph. Your donations will allow more time for bereaved families to stay with their deceased infant, giving families the precious moments they will hold in their hearts forever.