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Lilybugs is a charity
knitting and quilting group that knits hats and socks and sews blankets
for the
babies and children at the Lilybugs was formed in memory of Lily Belle Green. Lily was born in November, 2004 with congenital heart disease. Lily had one closed heart surgery and two open heart surgeries in order to save her life. She was hospitalized numerous times and suffered many complications and setbacks during her first sixteen months. All of Lily’s hospitalizations were at UCSF Children’s Hospital, primarily in the Pediatric Cardiac Intensive Care Unit. Most of the patients in the pediatric cardiac unit are newborns or children in the first year of their lives. Going from the excitement of the maternity ward into the terror of the cardiac unit is huge shock, and a troubling experience for the family. Lily Belle’s parents have expressed to us how much a colorful, hand made item can help make the traumatic experience of seeing your child hooked to monitors and lines more gentle and soft edged. Unfortunately sometimes these items will become treasured memories for families whose children are not so lucky to survive congenital heart disease. As Lily was in the hospital or
in a clinic during almost every week of her life, she became well known
by the
team who cared for her. Everyone was continuously impressed by her
strength,
vitality and happy demeanor. Throughout
her life Lily’s spirit remained irrepressible. Her smile, her bright blue
eyes, and her adorable
round face captured
and captivated everyone who met her.
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