- Thanks to the generosity of Christi Jo Guhn Photography, LLC and non-profit organization Ashlie's Embrace, TBH received a CuddleCot which will allow bereaved parents more time with their baby after an infant loss.
The Bellevue Hospital (TBH) and Ashlie’s Embrace are pleased to announce the placement of a CuddleCot™ for the Family Birthing Center at TBH. Ashlie's Embrace partnered with Christi Jo Guhn Photography, LLC, of Clyde, to donate the unit.
The CuddleCot™ consists of a cooling unit and pad that lay in a bassinet or Moses basket and keeps a baby cool after stillbirth or infant loss. The cool temperatures slow the natural changes that occur after death, which gives parents and families more time to spend with the baby and grieve.
Ashlie’s Embrace, a registered 501(c)3 organization based out of North Canton, Ohio, was founded in 2016 by Erin and Anthony Maroon after the loss of their full-term daughter, Ashlie. In her memory and honor, the Maroon’s have made it their goal to raise awareness about CuddleCots™ and help make them available to parents through medical facilities.
“The Family Birthing Center is honored to be chosen by Ashlie’s Embrace, with the support and generosity of Christi Jo Guhn Photography, LLC, to receive this CuddleCot™,” said Holly Bollenbacher, Director of The Family Birthing Center at TBH. “The CuddleCot™ will provide us with the means to continue our mission to provide the highest quality care to our patients. The cot will allow the Family Birthing Center to provide unlimited, uninterrupted and precious time for parents and their infant, and enhance our ability to provide comfort during such a difficult time.”
The device is manufactured and used extensively in the United Kingdom, yet there are fewer than 900 of them in U.S. hospitals. TBH’s CuddleCot™ is the 47th unit Ashlie’s Embrace has helped place.
Christi Jo Guhn is a photographer that specializes in family photos. She is a firm believer in working with her clients to give back to the community.
“I’m so excited to help give The Bellevue Hospital this amazing tool to use for their bereaved parents,” Guhn said. “The staff and doctors have been extremely supportive of my birth photography through the years, and I really wanted a way to show my thanks and also serve our community.”
Ashlie’s Embrace co-founder Erin Maroon said she is grateful to work with Guhn.
“Christi does such important work for families in a devastating situation,” Maroon said. “This CuddleCot™ donation speaks volumes as to how much she cares about the people she photographs. We hope it will be a blessing.”
All the proceeds from Mother’s Day photoshoots performed by Christi Jo Guhn Photography, LLC this past May were donated to purchase the CuddleCot™ for the facility.