The local charity calling for wedding dresses to be transformed into baby burial gowns

Posted on 5 September, 2024

When it comes to the loss of a child, there are no words that can accurately describe the grief felt by families.

From experiencing devastation to distress, it’s a life-changing moment – and choosing a final garment to dress a baby in is something no parent ever imagines having to do. But this national registered not for profit charity is offering grieving families a final memorable moment of peace and beauty as they say goodbye to their baby.

Repurposing a garment often associated with one of life’s great joys – marrying the one you love – Angel Gowns Australia (AGA), uses wedding dresses to create gowns, wraps, and sleeping bags for babies and young children who have passed away.

Founded in Canberra in 2014 by Fiona Kirk, each gown is provided to families throughout Australia free of charge that has been lovingly and respectfully hand-sewn by a team of volunteers.

Celebrating 10 years of giving bereaved families a last moment of dignity, peace, and beauty with their little ones, AGA is opening wedding dress donations for one day on Saturday 12 October at the Southern Cross Club in Woden so they can continue to give the gift of an Angel Gown.

“These gowns are not just for stillborn or miscarriage, they’re also for very young children. It’s quite staggering when I think about the number of families that  Angel Gowns Australia have an opportunity to reach,” says AGA ACT Coordinator, Karina Leslie.

“AGA is currently supplying over 280 hospitals and 160 funeral homes throughout the country. Australia-wide, we have sadly donated approximately 18,000 Angel garments during our 10 years.”

Helping people through the difficulty of finding a garment for their child – no matter how small they are – in Canberra, there are 18 volunteers who use their skills to transform the wedding dresses that are carefully packed and delivered.

Some of the volunteers have experienced the loss of a baby themselves. Others know someone who has, and some just want to provide compassion and care where they can.

For Karina, her own infertility journey and a chance conversation before her wedding led her to AGA and to helping people – who, like herself and her husband – have experienced great loss.

“When I was getting ready for our wedding in 2018, I was chatting to a friend about our wedding  plans, as my husband and I made the decision to elope at the end of our long  infertility journey. This friend told me about AGA and the opportunity to donate my wedding dress after our celebration,” she explains.

“We’d been together 10 years and been through so much together…we only every made it to having two beautiful embryos thanks to an egg donor but sadly I was not able to carry to term, and so that was an incredibly difficult time for us.”

Karina says that working with AGA is incredibly rewarding, but not easy experience. Because from speaking with bereaved families to trying to normalise conversations about infant loss in the community, the charity goes beyond simply sewing gowns

“I’ll be honest, the first time I saw [an Angel Gown], it was very confronting, because I had that physical connection and reminder I didn’t even make it that far, but other families do,” she says.

“I can’t even imagine how is it  for those families who suffer loss. To be able to be a small part of that journey for them, to give them some options, to be able to give them some dignity and choice in their  time of need – because nobody prepares to lose their baby – to be able to give them something beautiful and unique, just for them…That’s what keeps me going.”

Karina says in the charity’s 10-year history in Australia approximately 18,000 Angel Gowns have been made. But, as she points out, that’s not an accurate reflection of the number of infant and child deaths in Australia.

Still something of a taboo topic, Karina says that people need to break the silence surrounding infant loss – and as AGA continues to let families know they are not alone and that their baby or child is loved, she wants people to know that it’s okay to talk and share if they choose too.

It’s okay to cry. It’s okay to take your time saying goodbye. And it’s okay to talk about your experience.

“The best thing we can offer after an infant loss is to still talk openly about the baby who has died. If the parents name the baby, you can say their name,” says Karina.

“It’s an acknowledgement. And I think from my own experience including family friends who have lost adult children, they ask ‘How do I talk about them? What do I say? How many children do I say I have?’…it’s about allowing people to talk about them if they want to and creating a safe space and opportunity.”

AGA is always looking for more volunteers such a crafters, sewers, administrators, and event planning. Visit angelgownsaustralia.org.au for more information.

Feature image supplied.