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N.D. (NewsDakota.com) – She would say “I’m sorry for your loss.” She would say “It’s not your fault.” But it always felt empty.
So after driving home in tears and sharing her experience with family, Dr. Mandy Sorlie, her husband, Dave, and their children, Olivia, 11; Owen, 8; and Lauren, 4; created the Advocating for Neonatal Grief and Early Loss Support (ANGELS) fund.
“As parents, we couldn’t imagine what it would feel like to experience infant death,” Dr. Sorlie said. “Dave just looked at me and said ‘we can do this.’”
Every year, families experience the loss of an infant due to an unexpected circumstance. ANGELS helps pay medical bills for those parents through the Jamestown Regional Medical Center Foundation. The fund is available to anyone who experiences infant loss at JRMC at the gestation of 16 weeks or greater due to unavoidable circumstances. To support the fund, JRMC Foundation hosted the second annual GOLF “fore” ANGELS event on Aug. 5. This year, 18 teams raised more than $9,000. Last year’s GOLF “fore” ANGELS raised $7,000.
“I couldn’t believe the support,” Dr. Sorlie said. “People came out of the woodwork to volunteer, support and donate silent auction items.”
Dr. Sorlie said she is especially grateful to Renae Lunde, a registered nurse at JRMC’s Family BirthPlace. Lunde pioneered many of the infant bereavement offerings in Jamestown, donating hours of her personal time and effort.
ANGELS grant amounts and recipients are determined by the availability of funds. The grant covers the labor and delivery charges after insurance payments. On average, families that have insurance would otherwise have to pay more than $1,500 for these medical services. ANGELS removes this financial burden and helps families grieve.
It was important to the Sorlies that the funds be available for families both now and in the future, so the ANGELS Fund is an Endowment that will continue to support families for many years. That means the money will continue to support families for generations to come.
The ANGELS fund is a beautiful offering to families experiencing this loss, said JRMC Foundation Director Lisa Jackson. But it helps others too. In planning GOLF “fore” ANGELS, Jackson said she received letters, calls and visits from people who experienced infant death as many as 40 years ago.
“Back then, families were told to forget it and move on,” Jackson said. “As heart-breaking as that is, we’re humbled at the opportunity to help these families too.”
As her children grow, Dr. Sorlie said its important to teach them about giving back. When a person is in a position to give, they should, she said.
“You see these families and you feel like ‘I need to do something,’” Dr. Sorlie said.
Next year’s GOLF “fore” ANGELS is set for Friday, Aug. 3.
To learn more about the ANGELS fund, visit foundation.jrmcnd.com or call (701) 952-4880.
