(Long Island, NY) Expecting a new baby is a time filled with excitement, anticipation and hope for the future. However, for parents who have received a life-limiting prenatal diagnosis, this can be a time filled with uncertainly, fear and devastation. Parents who choose to continue the pregnancy may find themselves isolated with limited support, information and resources. Parents do not have to walk this journey alone.
Catholic Health Services’s Gabriel’s Courage is a family-centered perinatal program, providing a comprehensive multidisciplinary team approach to care, affirming the role of parents and providing support throughout pregnancy, labor, birth, life and remembrance. The team welcomes and honors the life of each child and celebrating his or her uniqueness and place in this world. The team includes nurses, social workers, chaplains, child life and bereavement specialists partners with medical providers, keeping them informed and involved.
“We are guided by something greater than ourselves, “said bereavement specialist Michelle Graff, LCW. “To be able to walk alongside families on their intimate journeys of grief is a privilege for which I can’t express enough gratitude.”
Gabriel’s Courage:
- Offers an initial evaluation in the hospital, doctor’s office or at home
- Coordinates care among multiple medical providers
- Develops an individualized Birth Plan, honoring parent’s desires, needs and values
- Assists with spiritual and cultural rituals
- Creates memory-making and creating cherished keepsakes
- Provides individual and family counseling
- Offers siblings support through visits with a certified child life specialist
- Delivers Home Health and/or Hospice care, if appropriate
- Assists with funeral and/or memorial planning
- Provides bereavement support
- Facilitates access to community resources
Any woman in Nassau or Suffolk County who has received a life-limiting prenatal diagnosis is eligible for Gabriel’s Courage services. Generally, there are no costs to families for these specialized services.
If you wish to learn more about this program or would like to make a referral, please call (631) 465-6363###
Catholic Health Services (CHS) is an integrated system encompassing some of the region’s finest health and human services agencies. With 22,000 staff members, six acute care hospitals, three nursing homes, a home nursing service, hospice, a community-based agency for persons with special needs and a regional lab, CHS’s high standards have resulted in a 23% market share.
