Cuddle Cot Is A 'Gift Of Time' For Grieving Parents
By Kathy Walsh
DENVER (CBS4) - A family that knows the pain of losing a baby has founded a nonprofit called Walk With Me. It is devoted to helping other grieving families.
And now the group is on a mission to donate what's called a "cuddle cot" to every hospital in Colorado.
Andy and Jamie Stewart's story is heartbreaking.
"He was one of the most beautiful things I'd ever seen," Jamie told CBS4 Health Specialist Kathy Walsh of her son.
Baby Logan Stewart entered the world on Aug. 9, 2012. His parents held him tight. They knew time was precious.
When Jamie was 21 weeks pregnant, the Stewarts learned Logan had a terminal disorder.
"So we started what ended up being a six-week journey of carrying a little boy that we knew was going to die," she said choking back tears.
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Logan lived less than an hour.
"Ultimately, we were able to spend 54 minutes with him before God took him home," Jamie said.
The Stewart's buried their little boy, but not their sorrow.
"The feeling of agony and helplessness is beyond compare," Jamie explained.
In 2015, they started Walk With Me to support other families.
"Because we want to walk with them. We don't want them to be alone," said Jamie.
On Wednesday, Jamie delivered a gift for grieving families to UCHealth University of Colorado Hospital, where Logan was born. It was a cuddle cot, a bedside cooling system.
"Basically, it is a way for families after they've experienced a loss for their child to remain in the room with them without the changes of the body happening so quickly," said Jamie.
"It does give the gift of time," explained Aubrey Becker, BSN, CPLC and Perinatal Loss Coordinator at University of Colorado Hospital. "They can utilize that time with their baby however they like."
The Stewarts know every minute counts when saying goodbye, and while the heartache never heals, loving hands can help find hope.
Jamie says the cuddle cots cost $3,000 each. The nonprofit has donated three already. The goal is to give one to every hospital in Colorado.
Kathy Walsh is CBS4's Weekend Anchor and Health Specialist. She has been with CBS4 since 1984. She is always open to story ideas. Follow Kathy on Twitter @WalshCBS4.