Family's Stories - CuddleBlanket

Your stories are helping us to change the narrative around grief

It's our mission to help raise awareness of loss, the support available to families, and to challenge outdated notions of closure and strength, acknowledging the complexity and individuality of the grieving process.

The CuddleBlanket can offer families the opportunity to keep their loved ones close to them in a hospice, hospital or home setting, rather than in a mortuary. It enables family and friends to visit, and gives families the time to make necessary arrangements after a death before finally saying goodbye.

To share what the CuddleBlanket means to you, email: yourstories@cuddlecot.com

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Gabriella’s Story: Time With Thea and the CuddleBlanket

After the heartbreaking loss of her daughter Thea, Gabriella shares how the CuddleBlanket gave her family precious extra time to be close, say goodbye, and create lasting memories. In this short video, she reflects on what that time meant and why every family should have access to this kind of care.

Gabriella Lake Walker

"We were lucky that having taken the difficult, but what turned out to be best decision, to accept a referral to a hospice years earlier, we had had access to a CuddleBlanket on the night that she died.

The CuddleBlanket keeps the body of a child who dies cool so that you can spend time with them after they have died and slowly get used to your new reality.”“I will always be glad we were able to take a few days before having to really say goodbye, she had her own room in the little apartment at the hospice and it really helped to have her close to us for that time."

Click to read Clinician Testimonials

Laura Whittle

"I'd never even heard of a CuddleBlanket before I lost my beautiful son Harris last year. To even think that without this CuddleBlanket I never would of been able to spend all that time with my son absolutely breaks my heart.

As parents we presume we have forever with our children and that they will outlive us. It's not the natural way of life for a child to pass away before us parents, and its not something that will ever make sense to me. All I know is that I got to sit with my son for many hours, hold his hand, kiss his beautiful face, talk to him, sing to him and just sit there and take in every single detail of him. My son, my beautiful little boy who was taken way too soon.

There should be many CuddleBlankets and CuddleCots in hospital so any parent and siblings don't have to say goodbye instantly to their child, we'll always be in denial and look for the what if's, but what we did have was time thanks to the CuddleBlanket. So once again thank you for this CuddleBlanket that gave me time to spend with my beautiful son."

CuddleBlanket

Some of the wonderful charities supporting families after loss:

compassionate friends
rainbow trust

Child Bereavement UK helps families to rebuild their lives when a child grieves or when a child dies. They support children and young people (up to the age of 25) when someone important to them has died or is not expected to live.

They also support parents and the wider family when a baby or child of any age dies or is dying.

They offer free, confidential bereavement support for individuals, couples, children, young people, and families, by telephone, video or instant messenger, wherever you live in the UK. We also offer face-to-face support from a number of locations. Visit their site here. (UK)

The Lily Mae Foundation offers a comprehensive and unique range of supporting programmes to bereaved parents, their families and friends via 1-1 Support services, monthly meet ups, online groups, their podcast and more. Visit their site here (UK)

The Compassionate Friends provides "highly personal comfort, hope, and support to every family experiencing the death of a son or a daughter, a brother or a sister, or a grandchild, and helps others better assist the grieving family." Visit their site here. (US)

Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity
Offers support to families in England with life-limiting and life-threatening conditions.
www.rainbowtrust.org.uk

Lauren Frow

Paediatric Deputy Sister, UK
"We are humbled and grateful to Bob McGurrell, CEO of 4Louis, who recently came to PCH and donated a CuddleBlanket. 
 
The blanket has been created for use with older children, allowing families to spend special time with their child without the need to visit a mortuary or sit in a cold room. It is designed so that the child's favourite quilt cover can be laid over them, creating a comforting setting for the family."

Find charities supporting families and fundraising for CuddleCots and CuddleBlankets around the world here.

Do you need to speak to someone now?

24 HOUR SUPPORT LINES

Samaritans 116 123 (UK)For anyone, at anytime, for any reason
Childline0800 1111Support for 18yrs & under and their relatives
Silverline0800 470 8090Support for the over 50's

 

(US) mhanational.org - If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call or text 988 or chat 988lifeline.org. You can also reach Crisis Text Line by texting MHA to 741741.