Founder’s Story
In 1999 I became pregnant with my fourth child. When we found out this joyous news we were elated! However, when I was six months along, my husband and I received the shattering news that our baby boy had been diagnosed with a life-limiting disease. At the time the doctors told us that he could die any day and that if we were lucky enough to make it to term, he would most likely die during the birthing process. The best case scenario was that he would be born alive but would die shortly thereafter. There was no way to prepare for news like this, there was no way to get my mind around the idea of life and death surfacing at the same time.
Blessedly, he did make it to full term and on April 11, 1999, we gave birth to our beautiful baby boy who we named George. Shortly after he was born, he died peacefully in my arms. It was incredibly hard, but we felt so blessed to have been able to hold him, kiss him, hug him, look into his big blue eyes, and tell him that we loved him.
During my grief process I experienced acute aching in my heart, as well as real physical aching in my arms. I read a variety of books on grief and infant loss and came across stories of women with similar experiences. At the time the internet was relatively new. The discovery of Takotsubo syndrome was just being understood and not much was published on the internet. Today Takotsubo syndrome, or BROKEN HEART SYNDROME, is more widely understood and more is being discovered. It is a real physical condition often brought about due to extreme emotional loss. I realized that this is exactly what I was experiencing. The physical pain I felt in my chest and arms was due to the aching in my heart from missing the chance to cradle my baby boy George. I discovered quite by accident that holding a weighted potted plant my father handed to me helped ease my physical pain. It was a miracle.
In an effort to reach out to those in similar situations, my husband and I invented The Comfort Cub, a specially weighted therapeutic teddy bear intended for those who have experienced the loss of a child. Each Comfort Cub comes with a personal handwritten letter from me attached to the cub's neck. Through time we have discovered that the holistic healing abilities of the Comfort Cub go way beyond the loss of an infant. We now help those who have suffered the loss of a loved one be they a child, an adult, and even the loss of a beloved pet who has become part of the family. The Comfort Cub provides a lasting hug you can experience anywhere, anytime. It provides immediate help and comfort.
Please contact me if you have any questions. We welcome your stories and feedback and would love to hear from you. Email info@thecomfortcub.org.
