Homemade craft packs are helping to bring joy to mums on bed rest and long-stay patients at Mater Mothers' Hospital, thanks to the kindness of a grieving Queensland mum who recently lost her baby boy at 20 weeks into her pregnancy.
In a bid to keep her son Roscoe's memory alive, keen crafter and Loganholme mum Tammy Campbell recently donated more than $2,500 worth of individually designed craft packs, including heartfelt affirmation cards to Mater Mothers' Hospital in South Brisbane as part of her fundraiser, The Give Back Project.
Having spent several weeks in hospital as doctors tried to save baby Roscoe in January, Ms Campbell, 33, said a small craft pack in a zip lock bag was given to her by Mater Occupational Therapy Assistant Deidre Southam and it provided comfort during a 'devasting time'.
"This little craft pack meant so much to me and to my partner," Ms Campbell said.
"It was only small and simple but when we found out our baby wasn't going to make it, the days spent in a hospital bed were long and the nights even longer as we waited to say goodbye.
"Although simple, the craft pack was an activity to help me get through some of the pain as the hours ticked by in hospital."
Ms Campbell hopes her personalised craft packs help other women facing similar circumstances.
"Some of the mums in hospital don't have friends or family who are able to visit. I hope these craft packs have a positive impact on their mental health while they're in hospital."
Ms Campbell said friends and family donated money to enable her to go on a holiday after losing Roscoe, part of which she invested into her project, aimed at giving back to other mothers.
"I wanted to do something meaningful with the money and that's when I decided to put it towards my little craft project," she said.
"No two packs are the same because no two mums are the same. The packs are from one mother who has walked in similar footsteps. I hope these packs ease the pain and pass the time for another mum.
"I have made water colour painting packs with different brushes for mums who need to remain laying down so they can paint, and there's card making packs and journals too."
Ms Southam runs weekly craft classes for mums confined to bed rest as well as long-stay patients to help them connect with other mums and learn new skills.
She said the generous gift from Ms Campbell enabled Mater's occupational therapy team to offer a wider variety of craft activities to mums in hospital.
"Long-stay mums are loving the packs and they love that a former patient has thought of them," Ms Southam said.
"One mum has the pompom kit to make with her daughter when she visits, and another mum is using the journal to manage her thoughts. The painting activities are beautiful and well considered.
"They work with their hands to produce and create, which is restful and calming for the nervous system and distracts from other unhelpful thought processes that can intrude into pregnancy.
"There is a sense of accomplishment and community around sharing craft skills.
"This is why the perinatal occupational therapy team do what we do each day. We endeavour to understand the complexity of what transitioning into motherhood can mean for each person and this also includes Tammy's experience as a mother as it's so important to validate and give space for all mothers."
Ms Campbell said each pack also comes with a picture of an olive tree in a pot with Roscoe's initials on it.
"Not many people will know the meaning behind the olive tree. Roscoe was so tiny he could fit in the palm of my hands, and his ashes will be buried under an olive tree outside our living room window," she said.
"It's been a hard journey for me after losing our much-wanted son, but I hope these craft packs can help other mums going through a tough time."
To donate, visit Fundraiser by Tammy Campbell : The Give Back Project (gofundme.com)
