A Gift of time: UTSW receives CuddleCot donation
Grief does not follow a schedule. For families experiencing the loss of a newborn, time is often their greatest need. A recent donation to UT Southwestern hopes to provide just that.
UT Southwestern nurses gather around the newly donated CuddleCot, a gift from Ashlie's Embrace in honor of Margot James Hampden-Smith, offering families the precious gift of time to bond, grieve, and heal
Ashlie's Embrace, a nonprofit dedicated to supporting families experiencing stillbirth or infant loss, recently donated a CuddleCot to the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology. The cooling device slows the natural changes that occur after death, allowing families to spend unhurried time with their child - to hold, to bond, and to begin healing.
Harrison and Lauren HampdenSmith made this gift in honor of their daughter, Margot James Hampden-Smith.
"At Ashlie's Embrace, we believe every family deserves a chance to bond with their baby, even in loss," said Danielle Honeycutt, Director of Marketing and Development at Ashlie's Embrace. "The CuddleCot provides that time. It creates sacred space for memory-making and mourning, allowing families to navigate their grief with a little more grace."
At UT Southwestern, this donation reinforces a shared commitment to compassionate, patient-centered care, even in life's most fragile moments.