In 2016, when Caitlin Pechin, RN, worked in the gift shop at UPMC Magee-Womens Hospital, the volunteer services board wanted to do something special for a leap year event. Knowing Caitlin’s love for crocheting, a co-worker recommended tapping into her skills. She created her first pastel baby hats, which sparked a heartfelt initiative that continues to touch the lives of volunteers, staff, family members, and even our tiniest patients.
Just like Caitlin, volunteers from all walks of life are united by their desire to make a positive impact, one stitch at a time. Each piece, handmade carefully with love, serves as a symbol of compassion and care. From tiny hats, outfits, and booties for newborns to soft prosthetics for breast cancer patients to memorial blankets in the event of infant loss, UPMC’s community of crocheters and knitters proves that even the smallest act of kindness can have a profound impact.
These generous souls continue to give back to our patients, many of whom are complete strangers, out of the goodness of their hearts. Now, you can hear their stories — their “why.”
Check out their stories and see more pictures in the May issue of First Friday.
UPMC strictly follows current standards on safe sleep guidelines for newborns at all facilities. The items created for the newborns are sent home with the families, along with educational materials about Sudden Unexpected Infant Death (SUID), the sudden death of a baby under one year old. The leading causes of death after newborns leave the hospital are sleep related. Learn more about safe sleep practices for infants.
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