Milton family honors late daughter by opening Butterfly Room at hospital

In the midst of their grief, a West Milton family decided to help others who were experiencing the same thing.

In December 2021, Sarah and Rob Chaney were pregnant with their third child and lost her at 39 weeks pregnant. They traveled to Miami Valley to be induced to deliver her.

Walking into the labor and delivery unit was difficult, but Sarah and Rob found comfort, saying the nurses were fantastic and they had incredible care. But they wanted to add a little bit more, a little bit more comfort and love, and then to spread that to other families.

Having to say goodbye to their daughter in an uninviting, uncomfortable hospital room sparked the idea for the Butterfly Room. There is now a new space in the Berry Women’s Center’s NICU at Miami Valley Hospital where parents can say goodbye and mourn their infant in a private space. In this room, families will find comforting items like a rocking chair. They can read to their baby, rock them, or bathe them. There is also a crib where families can take pictures.

Sarah and Rob say that this passion project helped them cope with their daughter’s death, and now this space will be in remembrance of her for years to come.

The room was a passion project, and it provided a lot of healing through my grief journey.  It's in honor of their daughter but also in honor of so many babies and families who didn't have rooms like this.

Although the Butterfly Room is officially open, there are still ways to support this special project.

The goal is for families who utilize the room to take the baby's clothes, bedding, or blankets that are in it as a remembrance of their baby. The community is invited to donate new baby clothes, new blankets, and new standard-sized cribs so that the family has the opportunity to take that with them."

For more information on the Butterfly Room, or to learn how you can donate, call the Miami Valley Hospital Foundation at 937-208-2700.