North Shore students create baby quilts for Lions Gate Hospital
A class of Grade 9 students from West Vancouver Secondary school visited the maternity ward at Lions Gate Hospital this week to make a special donation of handmade quilts.
The students spent four weeks creating the quilts in their Textiles class under the direction of teacher Laura Fitzpatrick. The quilts will be donated to newborns in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) and added to the memory boxes for parents who’ve had stillbirths, says Sherry Moon, Patient Care Coordinator, Perinatal Program.
Memory making
Last year when the North Shore News featured a story about LGH’s memory boxes, which VCH News first featured in November 2015, Sherry had asked for community members to come forward if they had any suggestions on how they can contribute to the memory making.
“It’s important that the parents of babies born sleeping understand that when they leave the hospital without their child that they have an entire community of support around them which is evident when their memory boxes are filled will items that their neighbours helped to create,” says Sherry. “What is great about having teenagers sewing the quilts is it opens conversations about a topic that is real but difficult to discuss.”
Students curious, nervous
Laura’s Textile students had a variety of reactions when she first told them about the quilt donation project.
“Some students were nervous, excited, curious about why we would make quilts for babies who would pass away or be born sleeping,” says Laura, who noted that Rockridge Secondary students also contributed to the project. “But most students were super inspired to do their best sewing work knowing they would be a part of such an emotional gift.”
Quilts leave an impression
While on a tour of the unit, the students got to peek through the windows of the NICU to see newborn babies. Sherry then shared her own story of how precious quilts are to new mothers.
“I have triplets who spent three months in the NICU at B.C. Children’s Hospital and the quilts became part of my boys’ identity,” says Sherry. “When I would enter the nursery I would scan the room for my children’s quilts that draped their isolettes. If I didn’t see their quilt my heart would drop. It’s amazing how something like a quilt leaves such an impression. Seventeen years later I still have the quilts.”
Positive learning experience
Laura said the visit was a great learning experience for her students.
“The tour helped them bridge the gap between the sewing classroom and the maternity ward – they were able to see and feel the gift of giving back to their community,” says Laura. “It instilled in them a sense of accomplishment and a greater understanding outside the walls of the classroom.”
Grade 9 students from West Vancouver Secondary visited LGH to donate quilts earlier this week.