The emotions experienced when a loved one has passed are immeasurable and increasingly overwhelming without the support of friends and family. For Joanne Blumberg this support came from volunteers of Silverado Hospice, where her mother Shirley had been ultimately cared for. Two weeks after Joanne’s mother had passed she was approached with an idea to create a ‘Memory Pillow,’ a memento that would capture her mother’s affection for fashion and could offer Joanne a sense of comfort and peace.
“Memory Pillows provide families with a very unique remembrance of their loved one. Using articles of the patient’s clothing, volunteers create a personalized keepsake to be cherished by the family,” explained Nancy Hanahan, Director of Volunteer Services for Silverado Hospice.
With Nancy’s help, Joanne sorted through her mother’s stylish ensembles and thought back to her childhood. She recalled shopping with her mother at their favorite boutiques and the conversations they would have while trying on clothes. Selecting items to incorporate into a memory pillow was almost therapeutic for Joanne. It gave her a concrete way of working through her grief and allowed her to fondly remember her mother’s life.
After hours of reminiscing Joanne found a colorful shawl and camelhair scarf that was worn constantly by her mother in her last days. She also found a studded blue belt and a matching Italian sweater, all of which would be immortalized as part of the memory pillow.
Nancy took the clothes to a Silverado Hospice volunteer and they were transformed into a 14×14 inch pillow. The remnants were even used as stuffing so that nothing would be left out, but the final touch was a hand-stitched a tag that read, “Made With Love by a Silverado Hospice Volunteer.”
When Nancy delivered the memory pillow, Joanne gasped in amazement and instantly hugged it. She held it close to her heart and with tears in her eyes, thanked Nancy for all her support and told her how beautiful she thought it was. The pillow had truly become a tangible connection to her mother, one that she could smell and tightly embrace.
The Orange County Register recently profiled Joanne’s memory pillow experience in a slideshow, see photos of Joanne and her memory pillow here.
