There has always been a connection between Milo and giraffes, going back to even before we knew of his CDH diagnosis. One of the first gifts we received after announcing our second child was on the way was a handmade light in the shape of a giraffe from a cousin. Shortly after and by sheer coincidence, Sarah's mom sent a pair of pajamas for Milo with a giraffe stitched on the chest. The gifts were unrelated but it was obvious that a pattern had been established. Fast forward to July 10th, the day Milo was born. After the delivery, he was immediately intubated and stabilized on a Giraffe Warmer before being taken to the NICU. This warmer would end up being his bed for all 18 days he was with us, so we noticed this right away and it was a comforting sign to say the least. But the theme didn't end there. At Lurie Children’s Hospital, each floor has a specific animal designation. Milo's NICU room was on the 14th floor, and sure enough you guessed it: it's the giraffe floor.
While Milo was at Lurie's, we knew we wanted to give our medical team something special to show our appreciation for all their incredible care and hard work. We also wanted something we could share with family and friends who were following along, supporting Milo from a distance. We thought something that could be worn would be ideal, so we reached out to a few companies and found one willing to mock up a custom MBK pin in the shape of a giraffe for us. We actually ended up sharing Milo's story with the CEO of the company, who was incredibly touched by our family's journey. Although this idea to order a few pins began while Milo was still with us, unfortunately the order wasn't finalized until after we lost our precious son. So the company was incredibly kind and sympathetic, gave us a generous break on 500 pins, and they have since taken on an entirely different and special meaning to us.
Being curious about giraffe symbolism, we did a little research. It turns out giraffes symbolize grace, peace, happiness, and welfare, among other things. Giraffes can be invoked as a "power animal" when you need help walking with your head held high. Another finding that hit home is when seen in a dream, a giraffe is said to mean the need for more time - which is all too fitting for our little Milo.
So for everyone who has followed along and supported us throughout this journey - or to anyone who is maybe just stumbling here for one reason or another - we are thrilled to share these MBK pins with you! We are also thrilled to raise some money and give back directly to the incredible organizations that played such important roles in Milo’s short time and supported our family during an unforgettable chapter of our lives.
We will be selling these through our website and asking for a $10 donation per pin, with all $10 being divided equally between Tiny Hero (an organization that supports CDH families) and Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago (where Milo was cared for).
We hope you will take your MBK pins on all your adventures with you! The idea is for these to travel everywhere near and far. Also if you’re feeling up to it, please share these memories and pictures with us! We hope to compile these and create a memory book some day as a reminder that Milo was loved by so many and he continues to be with all of us. Here are some places MBK has been already!
Please feel free to order as many pins as you want! The more the merrier, get one for everyone in the house! Note: If you would like to order multiple pins and the total is more than you would like to spend, we completely understand and that is 100% okay. Please just reach out to us and we will do our best to get you any quantity of pins for a donation of any size. Also, if you are interested in donating more and would not like any pins in return, we have set up a Venmo account @donate4mbk for additional donations. Or you can donate directly to the organizations here and here if that is preferred as well.
For any questions or to send pictures, please contact us directly or via email: donate4mbk@gmail.com
I love this family!