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Providing support after the loss of a baby

My Plea:

After losing Adam in 2007 at 31wks, my life took a very different turn. He was with us one minute and gone the next and the rug was pulled out from under us. Not knowing what we were ‘allowed’ to do, we left a teddy with him, but I’ll always remember the absolute longing I felt to feel more connected, especially once we’d said our final goodbyes. Creating precious memories in those moments is such an important part of the journey and are moments that stay with us forever and I’ve always felt like we didn’t do ‘enough’. We didn’t have enough time, enough photos, enough memento’s and we hadn’t created enough memories in the short time that we had. The longing to somehow feel connected to him stayed and so out of that longing came the idea of the Heart in their Hand project. I refocused my jewellery career into creating precious keepsakes, so that other families could feel a more tangible, longer lasting connection that can last forever.

The tiny hearts are cut out from a keyring and can be placed in the baby’s hand or blanket when saying goodbye and the parents keep the matching piece, creating that tangible connection. It is something we would have loved to do at the time with Adam and many others have said this too, so I knew this was going to be very meaningful and special. The feedback from parents and hospitals has been amazing and very touching.

When first launching the project in April 2016, I wanted to give parents the opportunity to provide the gifts to their local maternity unit by way of ‘paying it forward’, to help other bereaved families going through what they have. I had no idea it would grow in the way it has and I am now incredibly humbled to have been able to supply almost 9000 gifts so far, to charities, hospitals and parents directly. It is an absolute labour of love and it warms my heart yet breaks it all at the same time. I am often sent incredibly moving photographs of precious babies holding their heart and just seeing these little fingers wrapped around it and knowing a lasting connection has been made just melts me. My gorgeous Adam and these beautiful little babies spur me on to keep going and reach more families and I will do my best to make them proud.

I am extremely grateful for the beautiful nominations received and to be able to work with such amazing people that support parents as they say goodbye.

Cathy x
Mummy to Adam Lee Milburn 2.1.07

What Others Have Said

” …Being able to leave the heart in their child’s hand is such a beautiful piece of symbolism for bereaved parents. And having the keyring from which the heart has been cut to sit on their keyring with them for ever means so, so much to parents.
On every single level imaginable, the keyrings from Heart in their Hand are a truly, wonderfully, cherished keepsake. ”

“…It is something that made sense to us as a charity. I could see immediately how this would benefit parents at the time of loss – indeed we already had items for a similar reason within our memory boxes, but nothing as beautiful as this. The heart not only allows the newly bereaved family to maintain a connection, but by basing the business on a pay it forward value base, the heart allows families who are already on this path, to remember their own baby and for their baby to live on in this beautiful gift. ”

https://youtu.be/QlQIJzpnBcI