A perinatal loss is something no one wants to experience. Unfortunately, it does happen and often times the patient is treated in the Emergency Department. Members of the North Arkansas Regional Medical Center (NARMC) Volunteer Auxiliary, many who occupy the ER welcome desk, saw this as an opportunity to help.
The volunteers worked with the NARMC OB team to create a Rainbow Bag. The bags are a comforting gift to those experiencing a perinatal loss, giving those patients and families a way to create loving memories. Each bags contain a teddy bear, information about bereavement support and other comfort items.
“Initially these bags were donated by a patient who had experienced a loss herself. It was her way of resolving her own grief by reaching out to others. We thought that was a wonderful idea and wanted to see it continue,” said Karen Boyers, RN.
“The NARMC volunteers are one of the most committed groups of individuals I have ever been connected with. They learned of the need and decided they wanted to make this an on-going project,” said NARMC Volunteer Services manager, Robby Scucchi. “The NARMC Rainbow Bag is designed to provide a level of comfort and remembrance during a difficult time. We hope this effort is a small step towards helping these women heal.”
Photo caption: NARMC Volunteers Dee Glascow, Julie Lockett, Barbara Rutter, Mary Pledger and Joyce Yarbrough present the first set of bags to Karen Boyers, RN-Charge in OB.