Kentucky Mom Makes Memory Blankets for Parents Mourning the Loss of a Child

Tara Coombs, a mom from Kentucky, creates memory blankets for families who have lost children to cancer. She also makes memory squares so parents can take bits of their late child with them wherever they go. And she knows the pain and fear that comes with parenting a sick child, as her son Owen was diagnosed with cancer last year.

“With Owen's cancer journey, I think with any parent who has a kid that has had cancer, I think it always is going to cross your mind that this may not turn out how we want,” Tara said. “I don't think you can ever fully really imagine what it would be like to lose a child until you do. I just have so much heartache for people that do.”

For the memory blankets, families send Tara boxes of their children’s clothing, pictures and toys. She sorts through them and creates quilts — and she does this all free of charge. To ensure that families get their blankets for free, sewing supplies can be donated through Tara’s Amazon wish-list.

With two children at home, it’s not always easy for Tara to find free time to make the quilts. So she usually sews late at night instead of sleeping. But for Tara to be able to help others, it’s all worth it. “I think my goal in life is just to make a difference, and I feel like I am, and that's really a driving force,” she said. “It is going to make your day so much better knowing that you have made someone else's day better.”

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