SSM Health St Mary's Hospital Madison, WI

The staff at St Mary's have been very supportive and collaborative throughout our development and implementation of the HUGS program. 

SSM Health St Mary's Madison
700 S Park Street
Madison, WI 53715

We currently have two volunteers supporting families at the bedside in addition to two coordinators, Emily and Claire. We are in the process of adding a new bedside volunteer as we speak!
Anne
Our first child, Collin was stillborn. After a spell of preterm labor the week before, I went for a checkup the following week and they were unable to find a heartbeat. We were lost. How could this have happened? Labor was induced and September 23rd, 2009 was the day that would forever change my life. I gave birth to a beautiful child but not under the circumstances we had expected. Without the amazing staff we would not have made the memories we did with our son. They helped to make the darkest day of our lives better. It was also through the support of parents in the BPoM support group that we found others who helped to hold us up and give us hope. Because they had been in our shoes… By volunteering with the HUGS program I hope to provide support, help create memories, and honor the babies whose lives were much too short.
Emily (On-call Coordinator)
We have three children. Our son James was stillborn at 23 weeks, our daughter Josie was born and lived for 4 days in the NICU at 24 weeks, and we adopted our daughter Luisa at birth. Both of my pregnancies ended due to unexplained preterm labor. Connecting with parents who have experienced loss has been my saving grace as I grieve our children. After living through every parent’s worst nightmare twice, I hope to help guide newly bereaved parents through their time in the hospital and as they begin their journey through grief.
Kate
In 2008 I delivered Connor James, full-term and healthy. In the middle of his first night, I awoke to find he wasn’t breathing. Despite extensive CPR, he never revived. What helped us through the shock, horror, and sadness of Connor’s death was the incredible outpouring of support we received from hospital staff, family, friends, and BPoM. I was so grateful to meet other people who had been through horrible loss and somehow come out on the other side. I am grateful for the opportunity to pay forward some of the kindness and wisdom that helped me through those first dark hours, days, and weeks.
Leah
In October 2014, after almost 33 weeks of a seemingly perfect pregnancy, I learned that my daughter’s heart had stopped beating. She was stillborn the following evening. Over the years, with the support of family, friends, and many other bereaved parents, my grief has lightened and I’ve found ways to honor my daughter and find happiness again. I’ve also had two more children, born healthy and alive. I became a HUGS volunteer to provide support, compassion, and hope to other families grieving the loss of their baby or babies.