As I mentioned on the old blog a while back, I am a member of a group of photographers called Now I Lay Me Down To Sleep (NILMDTS). This is a non-profit organization that provides photography to families across the country dealing with the loss of a child. These photographers document the brief lives of infants that are terminally ill or still-born. I found out about this organization when a friend of mine lost a child last year. I had offered to photograph her and her family and her son when the hard decision was made to take him off life support when he was only about 9 months old. When I was not able to make the trip to Denver to photograph the family as planned, I was so relieved to hear that the family had been referred to Now I Lay Me Down To Sleep. I had never heard of them before and when I learned what they were doing, I knew immediately that I had to join in their efforts.
While I have not been called to go to a hospital and photograph a family yet, I know it is just as important to spread the word about Now I Lay Me Down To Sleep. Many familes have never heard of the organization and bury their babies without ever having portraits of them. The pictures serve as a living memory and tangible evidence of a short but meaningful life on earth. NBC’s Today Show is helping to get the word out to families, friends, doctors and nurses that this is a FREE service, available to ALL families that find themselves in need of this service.
Here is a link to the video on the Today Show. It moved me to tears. Ann Curry put it beautifully: Now I Lay Me Down To Sleep is “documenting the value of every life.” I hope that no one reading this blog ever has to refer the services of an organization like Now I Lay Me Down To Sleep, but if you do, know that myself and 3,200 other photographers across the country are here to help in the one way we can.
Whew…I probably shouldn’t have watched that clip. I remember when someone posted this organization on Adrienne’s blog; I can’t help but think of Noah and his portraits when I see this. But it certainly reminds me how blessed I am to have two thriving, healthy children. What admiration I have for you to volunteer to be of service to families like these. In some ways , I hope you never have to be called, but I also know how fortunate any family going through this would be to have you.