Wrapped up in Love
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| Sharon Carter and the African American Women's Guild gifted 19 quilts to mothers and their newborns, including Pao Thao and her baby. |
Wanda Carter, a founder of Heritage Quilters, said quilting has been a part of her family for generations, dating back to her grandmother’s Southern heritage. Through quilting she is able to honor this heritage and pass it on to others, she said.
“I just hope the families use them to keep those babies warm and healthy,” Carter said. “Wrap them up in love.”
Carter and her fellow quilters decided to create the quilts for the newborns to give back to the community, and they felt who better to start with than the area’s youngest members.
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| Mother Senitna Sellers and her newborn received a handmade quilt from volunteers of Heritage Quilters, including Sharon Carter (above). |
The women, who made two quilts each, used a variety of patterns and themes.
“Each quilt has a different story,” Carter said. “The time put into one quilt can be up to 10 hours depending on its detail.”
Community Medical Centers delivers 60% of Fresno County’s babies, drawing in patients from 15 other Valley hospitals because of its expertise. Community Regional houses the region’s only high-risk antepartum unit.
Erin McCurley, manager of obstetrics at Community Regional, expressed her gratitude for the donations.
“For us, and for the families, it means a lot to know that people care,” McCurley said. “An unbelievable amount of love went into these blankets and that love went home with the families.”
This story was reported by Lyndsey Besser. She can be reached at MedWatchToday@communitymedical.org.