North Oaks Social Worker Raises Money for Cuddle Cot

Linda Goudeau, a social worker for Women and Children’s Services at North Oaks, recently purchased a CuddleCot^TM to assist patients in a profound way. Through a sizeable effort, Goudeau went above and beyond her usual day-to-day schedule and took her job as an advocate to an entirely new level. With the help of donors, Goudeau was able to purchase this unique system for North Oaks.

According to the Cuddling Angels, a non-profit organization that provides support to families who have lost a baby too soon, the unit is designed for infants who pass away at birth. It is an in-room cooling unit that is the size of a small humidifier and set inside a bassinet or Moses basket. A CuddleCot^TM gives grieving families the gift of time, allowing their angel(s) to be at their side during the remainder of their stay at the hospital.

Goudeau knows first-hand how difficult the loss of a child can be since she lost her baby boy, Jackson, when she was 35 weeks pregnant. She shares, “I just felt like the CuddleCot^TM is now an important part of the grieving process for families and for a mom to be able to have more time with her baby.”

After learning more about the system, Goudeau felt this addition was dire, so in honor of what would have been her son’s 25th birthday last year, she started brainstorming. “I reached out to my family and I said, ‘Your nephew would have been 25 this year and I want to get this CuddleCot^TM,’ I said, ‘So can you all help me get this in Jackson’s memory?’ and they all agreed to contribute,” she explains.

Goudeau sold candy and accepted donations to achieve her goal. Despite being the driver of the campaign, she said none of her efforts would be possible without her family, the staff at North Oaks who contributed, Southeastern Louisiana University’s Social Work Club, The Ardent Foundation who put up half of the funds for the Cuddle Cot, and others.

Tamara Mitchell, Director of Women and Children’s Services, explained how special this unique system is and expressed gratitude for Goudeau’s efforts. “It was something very near and dear to her for North Oaks to have one of these,” Mitchell asserts. “She worked extremely hard to purchase it and we are all so thankful.”

Goudeau expressed that this effort was her way of helping other grieving mothers, while also honoring her son. She wants mothers to know, “We care about you, you’re not alone and we want to give you a little something that might help you bear that pain.”

Learn more about North Oaks Women and Children’s Services.