Heartland Hospice Nurse Creates Memory Pillows for Family

Mary has been a nurse with Heartland Hospice serving Augusta for over two years. Almost five years ago, Mary began creating memory pillows for her family and friends after a loved one passed away. When her friend’s husband passed away, Mary noticed the memory pillow she had made and thought it would be a great idea to make them for those closest to her. Once she started making them for her family members and saw how touched they were when she gave them the pillows, she knew her patients’ family members would be just as touched.

When a patient passes away, Mary will talk with the family and ask if they will allow her the honor of making a memory pillow from a shirt of their loved one. Some families will give Mary several shirts so that each member of their family can have one. She creates the pillow using the shirt and sews a message onto the pillow so that the family has a reminder of their loved one and can hold them close. She also delivers each pillow herself.

“I love making these memory pillows for my Heartland Hospice families and they love receiving them. It is biggest blessing when I can see the look on their faces when they are holding their memory pillow,” said Mary.