Georgia Room Project
What is The Georgia Room Project?
For parents Sarah and Rob Chaney, the unimaginable happened late on the evening of November 30th, 2021. Their baby daughter, Georgia Rae, was due in just five days. Sarah, having noticed a decrease in Georgia’s movement, was evaluated at Miami Valley Hospital in Dayton, OH. This is where they learned the tragic news that their sweet baby girl had passed while still in the womb. Georgia entered the world sleeping on December 2nd, 2021. The Chaney family, including their two young boys, extended family, and friends, spent the next two nights trying to fit a lifetime of memories with their baby girl into a few short days
This time was spent under the compassionate care of the Labor and Delivery team at Miami Valley Hospital. Grieving the loss of their baby girl next to the sounds of women laboring, pink, healthy babies crying, and happy families celebrating tiny new lives was excruciating. A few months after being home, Sarah learned of a family in Texas that had started a bereavement room to support NICU parents who were facing the end of their child’s life. This concept resonated with Sarah, and she knew this is what she and many other families needed and deserved during this difficult time. After speaking with a good friend who is a social worker in the NICU at Miami Valley Hospital, the Chaney family was determined to make this a reality for grieving parents. Thus, the Georgia Room Project was born.
Space to be Transformed into
NICU Butterfly Room at Miami Valley Hospital
Where are you in this process?
The vision is to create a private bereavement room for parents and siblings. This room, The Butterfly Room, is for NICU parents who are facing a terminal diagnosis for their baby. The current NICU Rooms are small and full of large medical equipment. These rooms are designed to care for sick and very premature babies, but when it comes to ending care, it becomes difficult for families to visit the baby to say their good-byes.
The Butterfly Room will provide a comforting environment that will allow families the gift of time to connect and create a lifetime of memories with their baby in just a few short days.
Right now, we have a dedicated space available in Miami Valley Hospital that we will transform into this Butterfly Room. This room will include a baby crib, an armoire filled with baby clothes, a baby bath for parents to bathe their baby, comfortable seating, baby books, and resources for families. The goal is to make this room feel comfortable, peaceful, and like home as much as possible.
It is our goal to raise the funds to open this room at Miami Valley Hospital in Memory of Georgia.
The Chaney family never got to bring Georgia home and having a space like this would have brought so much peace and healing to their hearts.
How can we help?
There are a few different ways you can help support this project. The first way would be to donate to this cause through the Miami Valley Hospital Foundations website.
Another way to help support is to purchase items from our shop. All proceeds from sales go directly towards the Georgia Room Project.
We have created an Amazon Wish List for some items that will be used in the Bereavement Rooms. Purchasing those items helps to bring the total cost down which allows us to start work sooner.
Lastly, Follow along on our social media to stay up to date on future fund raising opportunities and events.