When we had Jude, and were met with the towering waves of shock, grief, and helplessness, there were incredible people who held our hands and braved those oncoming swells alongside us. Our care team, both from Jeni’s OB-GYN practice and from the staff at Good Samaritan Hospital, were not only top-notch professionals but also wildly compassionate humans. They are a big part of why we wanted to create such an award; to honor the hard work they do and the difference they make, especially during days that it didn’t seem like anything could.

We have found that families that have gone through pregnancy and infant loss often feel like the world has moved on, and their child(ren) are left behind, and they struggle to find reasons to talk about their child in a present tense instead of in the heartbreaking “would have, could have, should have”. Our dream for this medal is to give these families a way to speak about their children while also celebrating the people who sat with them in the dark.

The Mariposa Medal is a nominated recognition of local medical professionals- physicians, nurses, medical assistants, hospital staff, OR staff, NICU staff, therapists, doulas, and more- who have made a profound impact on patient families that have gone through pregnancy or infant loss. It is a public expression of gratitude from the families themselves to their care team for their kindness, their empathy, their compassion, and their support that exceeded past typical professional-patient relationships. A small way to reflect back the light these professionals shared with these families when they needed it the most.

We will be opening up the submission process later this year; if you are interested in learning more about how to nominate a medical professional and our selection process, send us an email at flutterbycincinnati@gmail.com to be added to the mailing list.