Finding Peace. Making Art. Spreading Joy.
Holding Hands with Grief.
Pregnancy & Infant Loss Awareness, Support and Resource.
Make, Leave, Gift, Find & Receive Butterflies to raise awareness and give support to those suffering from pregnancy and infant loss.
How to help your grieving friend.
Download this handout and share widely.
Also check out the resources page.
Find comfort on your
grief journey with a hobby.
Gardening, crafting and creative activities can calm anxiety and bring about peace.
Resources and Support for You
You are not alone.
Here you’ll find resources on many subjects to help you through your grief journey.
Content will continue to be added over time.
Donation Spotlight
Edward Foundation’s Share Program
For 2023 I’ll be donating 50 cents for every Penny or Gigi Butterfly purchased toward the construction of a Bereavement Room at Edward Hospital in Naperville Illinois.
Click below to learn more about this amazing organization.
Why the Butterfly?
The Butterfly is a symbol of amazing transformation. When we knew our daughter wasn't going to make it Lurie hung a butterfly on her door. It was a subtle and beautiful symbol used to let the staff know she would not be with us much longer. As we grieved, we found the butterfly to be a comforting symbol with which to remember and celebrate Gigi.
Art: Tony DiOrio
Photo credit: Carolyn Beck Photography
A Little Of Our Story
My pregnancy with Gabriella Grace "Gigi" was great,
no problems, and no issues. In August of 2016 I went into labor 2 weeks early, again, nothing alarming. Labor was forever and birth was awful (nothing abnormal, but she didn't just slide out.... ha!). After everything was over we got settled in our "Mother/Baby" room and a nurse came to check her one more time. The nurse found she was breathing too fast and took our Gabriella Grace to the NICU. We found out that she had Hypoplastic left heart syndrome which is a rare congenital hearth defect, and she was being rushed to Lurie Children's Hospital in Chicago (it's like the Disneyland of hospitals... they literally think of EVERYTHING.). The plethora of doctors and specialists put their brains, hearts and souls into trying to save her, but she had too many other complications. She passed away 11 days later on August, 18th, 2016.
Read more
