Phoebe’s Women’s & Children’s Department received a special donation today. The Jones family donated a CuddleCot in memory of their daughter, Collins, who died at 29 weeks gestational.

At 29 weeks pregnant, Leigh Jones started having excruciating pain. Her husband, Joseph, rushed her to the hospital, where they learned that their baby girl did not have a heartbeat. After 25 hours of labor, Leigh delivered a beautiful baby girl weighing 3lbs 4oz on February 25, 2020.

She asked her nurses for a CuddleCot, a special bassinet used to cool and preserve a newborn’s body in the event of a stillbirth, allowing parents more time with their baby before saying good-bye.

Leigh says she learned about the CuddleCot after reading an article in January 2020. “I laid in bed in one night and came upon a news article about a mother in Warner Robins that had not only lost 1 baby but 2 babies and had donated CuddleCots to middle Georgia hospitals in their memory,” said Leigh. “Little did I know, that in me reading that article, the good Lord was preparing me for what was to come.”

For their memorial donation, the Jones family worked with Kendall Reid, of Ashlie’s Embrace, a non-profit organization that helps raise awareness of CuddleCots and makes them available to parents through medical facilities. Kendall is also the woman Leigh read about in January that brought CuddleCots to her attention. “Losing a baby is very hard but the Jones family is channeling that devasting event into something sweet and helping other families,” said Reid.

“The CuddleCot gives the precious gift of time to help families with the grieving process, which is so important. We are honored to receive this donation,” said Deb Block, Director, Women’s and Children’s Services at Phoebe.

This is the second donation of a CuddleCot Phoebe has received. When asked why they decided to donate one Leigh said, “We want people to learn about these. Moms need to know this are available if they are ever in the same situation we were.”