FLORENCE, SC (WBTW) – A Florence County family donated two ‘Cuddle Cots’ to McLeod hospital. The small piece of equipment gives grieving families of infants more time.
Emersyn Rogers lived a little over an hour, at 71 minutes. She was born with anencephaly.
“It was explained to me that she would basically have nothing from the brain stem up. Her head was basically open so we could see everything,” said Brandi Rogers, Emersyn’s mom. “We kept a hat on most of the time. The last day we were there he and I kept it off. We looked at her perfectly and wonderfully as she was.”
Two moms, Teresa Bennett- Yates and Robin Hicken also lost babies shortly after childbirth.
“Unfortunately, we only had minutes with our babies,” explained Hicken.The two started a nonprofit organization in honor of their children called ‘Meagan and Austin’s Continued Journey’.
The organization’s website says:
Meagan and Austin’s Continued Journey is a non-profit organization with the goal of providing a ‘Cuddle Cot’ to every hospital and birthing center in North and South Carolina.
Our efforts are born out the personal experiences of two mothers of babies born still. A ‘Cuddle Cot’ gives the families of babies born still the gift of time not afforded to the most grieving parents.
In just a little over a year, the organization raised enough money to buy six ‘Cuddle Cots’.
- Brunswick County, NC: 1
- Buncombe County, NC: 1
- Horry County, SC: 1
- Florence County, SC: 2
- Floater: used in Norfolk, Virginia on Tuesday
The ‘Cuddle Cot’ is a cooling machine that preserves the babies body.
“You can wrap the baby up obviously with this [the pad] underneath the baby. They can hold the baby,” said Hicken
Rogers was able to use the floater ‘Cuddle Cot’ to preserve baby Emersyn’s body for four days.
Working with the organization, the local community raised more than $6 thousand dollars to buy two ‘Cuddle Cot’ machines. The group dedicated the machines to McLeod Hospital in honor of Emersyn Friday afternoon.
“My grieving process would have been totally different if I didn’t have those four day with her,” admits Rogers.
Nurse Jennifer Morris helped create memories with the Rogers family by taking pictures or making crafts with the family.
“You never know how involved you’re going to be but this especially touched me,” said Morris. “These moms don’t get to take their babies home. Being a part of that is really a blessing to not only the families but myself.”
Now the legacy of Emersyn will touch mourning families for years to come. Morris stores donated blankets and hats specifically for families with stillborn or babies that pass away shortly after childbirth. Now one ‘Cuddle Cot’ will be stored in Labor and Delivery, as well as, in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU).
“This was our first experience we’ve had with the ‘Cuddle Cot’ and I’ve been here 12 years,” said Morris. “It will be something that we can actually talk to families about and say ‘I can give you some more time with your baby’. That is something you can’t get back.”
The Rogers family hopes to raise $3 thousand dollars for another ‘Cuddle Cot’ for Carolinas Hospital.
For Emersyn’s first Christmas, the Rogers family will celebrate by donating blankets, toys, and hats to the McLeod Children’s hospital.
To donate visit:
The next ‘Cuddle Cot’ fundraiser will be in Clayton North Carolina in February.
To donate visit:
.http://wbtw.com/gallery/emersyn-rogers-cuddle-cot-dedication/
