‘You will always have my heart’
On New Year’s Eve 2006, our world came crashing down after receiving the devastating news that our little baby boy had died in the womb at 31wks. Nothing can prepare you for such a loss and all the hopes and dreams we had built up were suddenly gone…in a heartbeat.
My creative career seemed to move my focus onto my little boy, my grief and the grief of others I met on our journey. I found myself making jewellery with his name on to help him feel closer and over time made many more pieces of jewellery for other mum’s and found my passion.
My mind often came back to our little boy and how much I craved the connection we had to last as long as possible, he will always be our little boy, but I longed for something to hold, to keep close. I wanted to create something tangible that could be ‘shared’ with a baby to keep the connection more physical as well as emotional.
In April 2016 I launched the ‘Heart in their Hand Project’ as a way for parents to be able to offer a gift of comfort and connection to other bereaved parents, at a time they need it most, having gone through the devastation themselves. Within a very short space of time various baby loss charities fell in love with the hearts and wanted to order them for memory boxes and all of a sudden, the project was reaching a huge amount of hospitals and families.
Very quickly I felt an overwhelming sense of ‘this is what I’m meant to be doing’ and to be able to provide hearts to families to help them feel that physical and tangible connection to their baby is just precious.
I now provide the hearts to over 150 hospitals and charities and it is my goal to get them into every maternity unit in the UK so that every family can feel the tangible connection as they say goodbye. The collection has quickly grown into offering hearts for children and adults as they say goodbye and I hope they provide even a tiny bit of comfort.
Running the HITH project is an absolute labour of love! It warms my heart and breaks it all at the same time as I think about the families using them. But I feel it’s an honour to be able to provide them for these precious babies and I hope to reach as many families as possible.
In memory of Adam Lee Milburn 2.1.07
“Like a Rainbow you are beautiful, always remembered and a gift from God”
Heart in their Hand is a ‘pay it forward’ project where families can sponsor hearts in memory of a precious baby and donate to hospitals for other families that will sadly follow in their footsteps.
The keepsake heart can be placed in a baby or loved one’s hand when saying goodbye and the keyring is taken home as a beautiful reminder of the connection shared.
Here is a touching review from one customer:
“After Elsie passed away, we only had a few days to be able to find ways to honour and remember her as best we could. I googled every possible question around baby loss and making memories. During this search, I came across ‘Heart In Their Hand’.
After losing her little boy, Cathy from ‘Heart In Their Hand’ has created keyring which enable parents to keep the outer part and give their baby the centre.
I quickly ordered two keyrings, and received a response to say Cathy was on holiday but her friend would send us a couple out (I must have sounded desperate in my email!!). I received them the following day, and took them into our funeral home. We sat with Elsie in her little room under the stairs. She was sleeping in her moses basket. We held her hand, and placed one of the hearts in each of her hands.
For us, it creates a lasting connection. When I hold my keys and slip my thumb inside the centre I know Elsie is holding on tightly to the middle heart. Our keyrings are now our most treasured keepsake, and we cannot thank Cathy enough for creating these beautiful pieces.”
‘Heart in their Hand’ work with maternity units, NICU’s and ICU departments, children’s hospices and funeral directors. Individual family orders can also be made, and families can ‘Sponsor a heart’ for others to pay it forward.
For more information, visit: www.heartintheirhand.co.uk
Or contact: [email protected]
