Nurse Practitioner Kate Hurlbut has turned her family’s tragedy into a mission of love and support for others. When Kate and her husband lost one of their twins, Ella, in the NICU in 2015, they felt blessed to honor her memory when they opened Ella’s Butterfly Bereavement Room in June 2017.
This private, peaceful space in the Pavilion NICU is set up like a nursery where parents can take as much time as they need to say goodbye to their babies. This room also provides families with keepsake items, such as a bereavement gown to dress their babies in, baby wash, towels and washcloths, keepsake blankets and bereavement bears. Kate’s family has continued to sponsor this room and replenish any needed supplies over the years.
For Ella’s 10th heavenly anniversary, Kate and family have found yet another way to support others in need. They were inspired to create Ella’s Butterfly Baskets after witnessing a family member lose a baby in the CICU without having some essentials on hand to get them through it. Their goal was to provide every family who loses a baby from a congenital heart defect with a basket full of comfort items, including blankets, baby wash, washcloths, hand/footprint keepsakes and bereavement bears. With nearly 100 donors, they have donated enough baskets to supply the CICU unit for over one year. If you are interested in donating, please click here.
In addition to starting these programs to help bereaved families, Kate also spends a lot of her free time on the Palliative Care Family Advisory Council at Texas Children’s. She is also a grief mentor and has led several virtual grief support groups for Texas Children’s. Click here to learn more about Kate’s journey at Texas Children’s.
