4 / 8
4
kyle and abby nixonwere born very ill and just 24
weeks intomom Jill’s pregnancy. kyle lived for just
three days. in the earlymorning hours on the day
of his funeral, his sister abby passed away.
“During those five days, while we were living a lucid
nightmare, we learned the importance of grief
training,” said JimNixon.
Nurses in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at Virtua
Voorhees made sure the Nixons took steps that would
help thembegin to heal from their devastating loss.
Giving Abby her first and only bath is a happy memory
they still hold onto.
“Most of the staff we interactedwith were
compassionate, caring and supportive,” said Jim.
“They seemed to knowwhen to say something and
when to just sit with us quietly.”
Not all caregivers are skilled at helping families
through a loss. This can unintentionally make a heart
wrenching situation worse.
Virtua created a new community-focused program that
aims to change that. It is fully funded by generous
donors, including families who knowwhat it feels like
to lose a pregnancy or an infant.
Through Virtua’s Perinatal Bereavement program, Ann
Coyle, RN, visits hospitals and physician offices across
the region to educate caregivers about proper
perinatal bereavement counseling. She teaches them
what to say - or what not to say - in the moments
following a loss. She also provides resources to
support families after they leave the hospital.
At Virtua, the support system for bereaved families is
far reaching including counseling, education, and
comfort to families who face difficulties at any stage of
the pregnancy journey. This can include infertility,
miscarriage or infant loss, as well as a newpregnancy
after a loss.
When the
Unthinkable
Happens
“
If our children were here
with us today, they would
thank you for what you’ve
made possible.Your
generous donations and
support will continue to
provide families, like ours,
with the programs that
enable us to heal.”
– Jill Nixon