AdventHealth Ocala Receives CuddleCot™ Donation

June 24, 2020 — (June 24, 2020) Ocala, FL – The families of Blake Leigh Miller and J.A.G. Stathas have partnered with the organization Ashlie’s Embrace to donate a CuddleCot™ to AdventHealth Ocala in honor of their late children on Friday, June 19, 2020.

Sarah Miller was 28 weeks pregnant when she suffered the loss of her daughter, Blake Leigh, on June 24, 2014. Emily and Joey Stathas lost their son J.A.G. on October 13, 2008. The two families are longtime friends and have graciously dedicated their time to raise money to help other families grieving the loss of their children.

“We loved and wanted this baby so bad after years of infertility. We held her and loved on her for a while after she was born, but the normal process of decomposition had started,” said Blake Leigh’s mother Sarah Miller. “If I had the choice to stay longer, of course I would have. When I discovered the CuddleCot™, I felt relief knowing I could help future parents who experience this same tragedy I did. They will now have the option to hold their baby longer, and to remember their baby’s eyes, little nose and fingers. Nothing will give you back your child but having a little more time to say goodbye is huge. For this, I am thankful.”

Traditionally, families only have a few hours to say goodbye when an infant passes away but the CuddleCot™ system cools the baby, allowing additional time for families to process their grief and say their goodbyes.

“Our foundation is incredibly blessed to receive this donation on behalf of AdventHealth Ocala,” said Tracye Berry-Williams, Executive Director, AdventHealth Ocala Foundation. “During a time of immense grief, the CuddleCot™ allows us to provide bereaved parents with comfort in knowing they have more time and we’re so thankful to the Miller and Stathas families, and Ashlie’s Embrace for providing our community with this precious opportunity.”

Ashlie’s Embrace provides comfort to grieving parents after stillbirth or early infant loss by increasing awareness of CuddleCots™ and making them available to parents through health care systems and medical facilities. The CuddleCot™ can be placed in a basket, crib, pram or bed and allows parents to stay with their baby for as long as necessary.

About AdventHealth West Florida Division

The West Florida Division of AdventHealth has some of the nation’s brightest medical minds making lifesaving breakthroughs with surgical pioneers, scientists and researchers using leading edge technology and innovation to deliver our brand of whole-person care. Our network of care includes AdventHealth Carrollwood, AdventHealth Connerton, AdventHealth Dade City, AdventHealth Lake Placid, AdventHealth North Pinellas, AdventHealth Ocala, AdventHealth Sebring, AdventHealth Tampa, AdventHealth Wauchula, AdventHealth Wesley Chapel and AdventHealth Zephyrhills, as well as five freestanding offsite Emergency Rooms including AdventHealth Brandon ER, AdventHealth Central Pasco ER, AdventHealth Palm Harbor ER, AdventHealth TimberRidge ER, and AdventHealth Westchase ER. We are more than hospitals, as we have a robust system of care including specialty acute care, over 200 primary care and specialty employed physicians, Express Care at Walgreens clinics, urgent care centers, wound care, physical therapy, home care, mobile mammography and more. AdventHealth is a faith-based not-for-profit health care system with a mission of Extending the Healing Ministry of Christ. AdventHealth has hundreds of care sites and nearly 50 hospitals across the United States. For more information about AdventHealth, visit AdventHealth.com, or Facebook.com/AdventHealth, and for West Florida Division, click here.