In memory of

Bentley Gauthier Spenser

Northbridge, MA

March 7, 2024 - March 7, 2024

Mar 7, 2024 - Mar 7, 2024

In lieu of flowers

Please consider a donation to Caring Cradle for Boston Medical Center.

Learn more & give
Who else knew Bentley?

Help keep everyone in the know by sharing this memorial website.

Share

In memory of

Bentley Gauthier Spenser

Passed

March 7, 2024
Born

March 7, 2024
Resided

Northbridge, MA

Photo

Please consider a donation to Caring Cradle for Boston Medical Center.

$11,352.00

of $6,995 goal

162 %

Learn more & give

How you can help

During the past year, we have experienced all of the firsts without Bentley. Our grief comes in waves, and triggers often occur without warning. The holidays were particularly emotional and difficult. As Bentley’s anniversary and first Heavenly birthday approaches, we would love to fulfill our goal of purchasing a Caring Cradle in Bentley’s honor.

Since the day we found out about Bentley, I knew for the rest of my life I wanted to do whatever I could to honor him. I thought of endless ways to do this, coming up with ideas and researching different organizations that help families who have gone through something similar. So far this year, we have participated in the March of Dimes Foundation, as well as the Tiny Footprints 5K affiliated with UMass Memorial. The support from family and friends throughout this year has been extraordinary, raising over $3,000 in honor of Bentley through both of these events.

Thinking back to March, those days in the hospital were some of the worst days of my life, but I am so incredibly thankful I got to spend time with my son - an opportunity some parents don’t have in these situations. I held him tight, and shared every word I needed to in the short time we had together. I often think back to those 3 days with Bentley, and am so fortunate for the resources we had the privilege of utilizing, especially the Caring Cradle. The Caring Cradle is a specialized cooling bassinet, which allows families to spend more time with their baby - cooling the body temperature, and slowing down the unfortunate natural process. Without these specialized bassinets, families would be able to spend significantly less time with their baby - a few hours versus a few days.

I contacted the Caring Cradle administration, and wanted to know if there were any local hospitals in need of this incredible resource. Immediately, they said Boston Medical Center, located in Boston’s South End, was in dire need of one. After speaking to the nurse manager of Labor & Delivery, it was clear that the Caring Cradle would be extremely instrumental to this hospital. She explained to me that Boston Medical Center is essentially a “safety net” hospital, with many patients being underserved, below the poverty line, and refugees from various countries. She vocalized that this hospital delivers roughly 3,000 babies per year, with 85% being high risk and complex. Unfortunately, this hospital is underfunded and under-resourced, yet, deals with some of the most complex and critical pregnancies locally. The Caring Cradle would allow families to spend time with their baby, and create short, yet invaluable and precious memories.

The Caring Cradle is a complex and intricate piece of medical equipment, therefore, is expensive. It is $6,995 in total, with shipping and handling an extra $750. However, while talking to the administration of the Caring Cradle firsthand, they have generously decided to waive the shipping and handling fee. Our goal is $6,995. If we exceed this amount, any funds will be directly given to the Boston Medical Center Bereavement Committee. This committee is solely made on donations, and provides resources for grieving families in need of them.

I truly left a piece of myself in the hospital that day - a piece of me will always be empty until we meet again. We will continue to honor Bentley everyday. We love you so much, and miss you more than you could ever imagine. Contribute