I have to admit, when I saw this link from Saranah, my first thought was, "that's creepy."
I pictured... I don't know what -- infants smothered in yards of tulle, some sort of crude swaddling. I couldn't have been more off.
This story by BuzzFeed writer Rachel Wilkerson Miller describes the Angel Gown Program by NICU Helping Hands. Volunteer seamstresses convert donated wedding gowns into delicate garments that look quite similar to Christening gowns.
Photo from nicuhelpinghands.org
The article quotes NICU Helping Hands director Lisa R. Grubbs:
“A wedding gown donated by a bride from the happiest day of her life, sewn by a volunteer into a one-of-a-kind custom gown for a baby that has died or will die… importance, honor, respect, caring, and love are embodied in this gift that is freely given to anyone that needs it,” she said.
"From the happiest day of her life..." There's something about that, isn't there? Weddings are a happy time, full of hope and future and blessings. And death is often a time of unspeakable pain. So maybe in some small way, the joy and hope of the wedding gown is passed down into the angel gowns -- to the babies to bless them on their way, or to the parents to give them a bit of comfort and hope. That's all rather philosophical and is quite dependent on ones belief system, of course.
But it's definitely more than just a gown being given. And it's definitely not creepy. I was wrong.
Would you donate your wedding gown to Angel Gowns? Tell us why or why not in the comments.