A Unity family has made a compassionate donation to Battlefords Union Hospital to help those grieving a stillbirth or neonatal death.
The item is a cuddle cot, which is a device designed to help parents who suffer the loss of a baby.
The device is designed to cool the deceased baby, the purpose being to keep the baby’s condition from deteriorating in a warm environment.
As a result, the grieving parents have a chance to spend time with the baby and cope with their loss, for as many hours or even days that they need. Â Â Â
The donation was made by Ashley and Duncan Martin. They donated the item in memory of Emmett McKenzie Martin, stillborn on July 9, 2013 at 38 weeks and five days.
Ashley noted the importance of spending the hours they had with their stillborn son as part of the grieving process.
“The few hours that we had with him, I’ll never forget them,” said Ashley. “The little bit of normalcy we could have with him – looking at him, studying him, we’ll never forget it.”
Afterwards, the family decided to help others faced with a similar situation. Ashley saw “cuddle cots” being advertised on support groups and also learned about one that had been donated to a hospital in Regina by a couple, and got in contact with them.
They also contacted the manufacturer, Flexmort in the United Kingdom, who noted there were 23 such “cuddle cots” in Canada.
Stillbirths and neonatal deaths are a one in 130 occurrence in Saskatchewan, with a large number in Saskatoon.
“Nobody wants to think about it, nobody wants to talk about it, but it’s a reality of life,” said Pamela Plummer, nurse manager.
She said Ashley brought the idea of a donation to her attention. Funds were raised through a GoFundMe website the family had set up. Some 75 people donated over $5,000 for the cuddle cot in a span of four days. The final cost of the cot itself and shipping and customs came to about $4,700.
 “We’re very fortunate to have received this,” said Plummer. “It does allow the parents that much longer time to spend with their deceased baby. And that’s still their baby and they need to spend as much time as possible with them.”
On a more optimistic note, the Martins are now proud parents to their daughter Rowyn, who came along to the hospital with them Thursday for the donation. Rowyn will turn one year old on June 19.
