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After the loss of their son, the Goodwin family found comfort in generosity

In March of 2020, Kylee and Matt Goodwin were two months away from giving birth to their fourth child. After discovering that the baby's heartbeat was double what it should be, the Grande Ronde Hospital (GRH) Family Birthing Center (FBC) and obstetrics team felt it would be best for Kylee and the baby to be flown to Boise. After Kylee had been sedated for an emergency C-section, Matt had to tell Kylee that they had lost their son, Andrew.

Working through the grief

The hospital where Andrew was delivered had a device called a Cuddle Cot. This allowed Matt and Kylee the much-needed extra time with Andrew to become familiar with him, hold him, but to also say goodbye, take photographs and begin their grieving process as a family.

"It is time that I will never get back. To be able to soak in as much of him as we could, that meant the world," Kylee writes.

During this time, COVID-19 and the subsequent lockdowns of medical facilities were just beginning, making it impossible for their family to visit right away. They were, however, able to receive a visit from their pastor, which helped them until they could see family members again.

Coupling the loss of their son with the ongoing worries of the global pandemic has been very hard and has interrupted the grieving and healing process.

"Our lives have been completely flipped upside down on multiple levels this last year. It is only by the grace of God and how loving He is that we are standing today to be able to tell our story and share Andrew with you," Kylee explains.

Sharing the experience

Because of this experience, Kylee, Matt and their family wanted to extend the benefit of a Cuddle Cot to other families in their hometown who suffer the tragic loss of a newborn. Locally, the Goodwins had been working with GRH's FBC staff on experiencing newborn loss—how the grieving process can begin and be strengthened when families have a chance to say goodbye and make some memories with their baby. Although the FBC has programs to help grieving families, GRH did not have a Cuddle Cot. This spring, the Goodwins contacted the Grande Ronde Hospital Foundation to express their interest in donating one.

The Goodwins began their efforts toward donating a Cuddle Cot through a GoFundMe account, which immediately saw success and far exceeded their original fundraising goals. Because of the support of so many people, not only was the Foundation able to purchase a Cuddle Cot, additional replacement parts and necessary accessories, but additional funds also remain to continually purchase materials to sustain the Cuddle Cot in the future. Because of the generosity of the Goodwins, GRH will be able to incorporate the Cuddle Cot as a part of our program for grieving families experiencing this loss.

Looking ahead

The Goodwins hope that through their loss, they can share the support and love they have received from their friends and family with others who experience a similar loss. Their goal is to provide some comfort while honoring Andrew's life.

"This is a way that we can do that," added Kylee.

Through the Foundation, the Goodwins will continue to see benefits for the community from their efforts and donations. They hope that their experience will inspire others to give to the Andrew Goodwin Memorial Fund that is now supported by the Grande Ronde Hospital Foundation.

Share the love

If you would like to know more about the new Cuddle Cot, the Andrew Goodwin Memorial Fund or any of the Grande Ronde Hospital Foundation's many projects, please call our Foundation Manager at 541-963-1431 or email foundation@grh.org.