Mother delivers clay angels for lost babies to Central DuPage Hospital

Melissa Callister will never forget the way the nurses and staff at Northwestern Central DuPage Hospital treated her after her pregnancy losses.

"Nobody wants to leave labor and delivery empty-handed," she said, her voice cracking. "They were so respectful. They put a yellow flower on the outside of my door, so nobody would come in and ask (about the baby). They gave us time to hold our babies. They just go above and beyond."

Callister lost three babies at 17 weeks and a set of twins at 10 weeks. Three of the pregnancy losses occurred at Central DuPage Hospital. Of her four living children, the two youngest were also born at the hospital.

Callister was living in Aurora when she was a patient at the hospital, but has since moved to Utah. Earlier this year, she was surprised to receive a letter from the labor and delivery staff, marking the anniversary of her last pregnancy loss.

"I was just blown away," she said. "The card triggered me wanting to do something."

Callister's 14-year-old daughter Grace and 12-year-old daughter Ella have a hobby of making clay Nativity scenes, and she suggested they make a small angel figurine holding a baby to send back to the hospital.

"I just felt people need to be recognized who do a job like that," she said.

Lisa Sullivan, clinical director of labor and delivery, said the Callisters' actions had an impact on her staff.

"I just thought it was the sweetest gesture, for someone who had a loss to think of us," she said. "That is so amazing, just such a selfless act."

Nurses later wrote back to Callister and said they ended up giving the angel to another mother who had a pregnancy loss.

Callister asked how many pregnancy losses the hospital sees each year and was told there are an average of three a month. She shared the number with Grace and Ella, who said they wanted to start making more angels, enough to distribute to mothers facing pregnancy losses for the next year.

The girls helped their mother design a logo and phrase - "In the Arms of Angels" - to print on a notecard that is now distributed with every figurine.

"When you have something difficult like this, I feel like the best way to handle it is to reach out and that brings peace, when we can help somebody else," Callister said. "It was really neat. (Grace and Ella) felt the spirit of what they were doing."

A few months ago, the girls shipped a box of 60 angels to the hospital. The angels have different skin tones, to match the skin of patients, and are placed in small drawstring bags that contain the notecards and a message from the Callisters that reads, "This angel was made in loving memory of our four angel sisters and one angel brother."

Winona Driesbach, a nurse who cared for Callister during her stays, said she is impressed with the desire many women who have experienced a pregnancy loss feel to give back.

"I think there's this deep camaraderie with those who've walked there and they want to be able to help somebody else through that, because it is one of the hardest losses you can have as a woman," she said. "You develop this strength with each other."

Callister said she was concerned the hospital might not distribute the angels because of the religious aspect, but she was glad they agreed and wants other families who have experienced a loss to know the babies are still part of their families.

"It does speak to heaven and life after death," she said. "They're still with you, and they'll still be with you."