Our Lady of Lourdes Medical Center in Camden is seeking handmade knit and crocheted blankets to be used as part of a unique bereavement program.

"The blankets will be used with our patients in the dying process or at the time of death," explained Donna Costello, director of Patient Relations at Lourdes. "The blanket is an acknowledgment by our staff that each person is unique and cared for in a loving way until the moment of death. We then encourage the family to take the blanket home with them as an expression of Lourdes' care and comfort for their loved one." Each blanket is distributed with a note: "We cover your loved one with this quilt, this sign of our affection… that all the bonds of love that knit us together do not unravel with death."

If you or someone you know would like to donate a new, handmade crochet or knitted blanket, please call 856-757-3755. The blanket should be approximately 3 feet by 5 feet in size in calming colors.