CuddleTIME Cold Cot

Each day 6 babies across Australia are stillborn. A total of 2000 babies each year.

Most deceased babies, have to be taken to the mortuary within several hours of birth, cutting short the precious time that a bereaved family have together to create memories.

Bodhi Grech was born on the 12th of August and passed away on the 16th of August 2012 Leaving his family heartbroken and shattered. In memory of Bodhi, his mother Lynette Grech with the support of her family and friends began 'For Bodhi' with the aim to give back to the bereavement community in his memory. Over the past year Lynette has fundraised tirelessly in memory of Bodhi for the first CuddleTIME Cold Cot to be donated on behalf of Yasminah's Gift Of Hope in his memory to the hospital where he spent his final days of life. 

Yasminah's Gift Of Hope offers early support to those suffering the loss of a baby during pregnancy or shortly after birth. Yasminah's Gift Of Hope works to prevent potential incidences of depression as a result of the trauma families experience.

The CuddleTIME Cold Cot Project will significantly aid Yasminah's Gift Of Hope support role by allowing us to provide the treasured gift of 'time' to bereaving parents and their families. 

Donated by Yasminah's Gift Of Hope in Memory of Bodhi Grech 12.8.12 - 16.8.12

The CuddleTIME Cold Cots will compliment Yasminah's Gift Of Hope, Gift Of Hope journal support program by extending a families time together to create lasting memories that can be recorded in the journals and kept for a lifetime.

Portable Cold Cots will support caregivers and bereaved families cared for at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. 

• Families will have the opportunity and choice to spend quality time together as a family, whilst creating memories to last a lifetime before saying their final goodbye.

• CuddleTIME Cold Cot will foster greater support for parents by allowing increased involvement of extended family in the grieving process

• Will enable families the choice to take their child home overnight utilising the portable Cold Cot with the support of the hospital

• Creating memories of the deceased child, including interactions such as cuddles, bathing and dressing, have been shown to be very beneficial for a parent's journey through grief

Today two incredible things happened.

I met a beautiful lady I've gotten to know over the past 18 months. Lynette Grech. She was warm, compassionate and we hugged like we'd been friends for years. Time was no barrier. We had both been through something indescribable. The loss of our child. Lynette heartbreakingly said goodbye to her son Bodhi Grech 3 days after saying hello.

Together we delivered the CuddleTIME Cold Cot in memory of her son Bodhi. 

Lynette Grech and myself delivered the CuddleTIME Cold Cot to Royal Prince Alfred Hospital NICU Bereavement Room in loving memory of Lynette's son Bodhi. We are both currently pregnant with our rainbow babies due a few weeks apart.

Love is endless and Bodhi's memory will live on helping many other families spend precious final moments with their child. A love to last a lifetime. Thank you to everyone who supported, donated and helped make the first CuddleTIME Cold Cot possible. 

A Book About Death Australia

A Book About Death EXHIBITION

Tweed River Art Gallery, New South Wales, Australia.

18 October - 24 November, 2013

This international exhibition originally conceived by Paris artist Matthew Rose was first exhibited in the Emily Harvey Gallery, New York in September 2009.

The exhibition became a world wide phenomena, involving work from over 500 artists and inspiring artists to curate off shoot exhibitions throughout North America, South America, Europe and Britain.

Now 300 artists from more than 20 countries have submitted new artworks for the Australian exhibition at Tweed River Art Gallery in October 2013.

The gallery has magnificent views over the Tweed River and surrounding mountain ranges.
Multiple stacks of artists' postcards will be on the window alcove seats for gallery visitors to take home and create their own 'unbound' book about death.

Back in February I came across the 'A Book About Death Exhibition. I was inspired and in awe of the artists sharing their gift, expressing what death means to them. Their personal, creative expression of grief. loss and heartache. I knew immediately that it was something I needed to be involved in. This had landed on my screen for a reason. This was my opportunity to express via visual art my grief. My book about death. 

I'm thrilled,excited and slightly daunted that I've just submitted my very first official exhibition piece for the 'A Book About Death Australia' Exhibition, to be held at the Tweed River Art Gallery opening the 18th of October. Below is my submission. 

What does death mean to you?