Piedmont Walton Brings New, Unique Support Program to Labor and Delivery Patients

Monroe, Ga. (Feb. 12, 2019) – Piedmont Walton Hospital recently launched a national program called Rachel’s Gift, which provides support and guidance services to families who have suffered the loss of an infant.

Started in 2006, Rachel’s Gift is a non-profit organization that partners with hospitals to assist families through the initial phase of infant loss. In coordination with the hospital, Rachel’s Gift trains hospital staff about providing grief assistance and companioning patients through infant loss. The program is available at 10 hospitals in the Piedmont Healthcare system.

“Rachel’s Gift is a very special program, and we’re proud to be able to train our staff to offer the services that it provides,” said Lynda Moon, RN, manager of the labor and delivery unit at Piedmont Walton. “The program helps our hospital provide a healthy environment to begin the grieving process, while also providing lifetime keepsakes of their child. It’s a really special program.”

With Rachel’s Gift, Piedmont Walton staff receive training from licensed professional counselors as well as mothers who have experienced loss, which educates them in the grief process.

“It equips hospital staff with an outline to help families face the grief,” said Moon. “Families also have access to a 24-hour hotline to call when they’re in need of assistance after they leave our care.”

Rachel’s Gift also gives families a keepsake of their child. Piedmont Walton will now provide a package that includes items such as clay kits to collect hands and footprints of their child, a special album, a book to guide them in grieving, and information about businesses in the Walton County community that provide free counseling and other support services that these families may need.

“Our Rachel’s Gift boxes will contain special keepsakes that are a lifetime reminder and a physical reminder of the family’s child,” Moon said. “We happy that we could work to bring this to the Walton County community.”

The program was made possible by Piedmont Walton labor and delivery staff, as well as the Walton EMC Community Foundation, who donated funds to bring the training and keepsake boxes for patients.

For more information about maternity services at Piedmont Walton Hospital, visit piedmont.org/maternity-services/piedmont-walton.