Madelyn’s First Birthday - a Baby Shower/NICU Donation Drive

With Maddie’s first birthday just 7 weeks away, I am very tempted to crawl into a hole of depression and desperation.  I vividly remember this time last year, especially since my beautiful nephew, AJ, had just been born and I was starting to experience almost constant Braxton hicks contractions.


This is about the time last year when I had to start explaining to friends that we would not be having a baby shower for Maddie until she came home from the hospital.  This is about the time last year when I really had to start forcing people to recognize how sick my baby really was and that she very well would never be coming home from the hospital.  


It is time for Maddie's baby shower. But without the shower.  Ok, i’m really talking about the presents.  Lots of presents.  All of which will be donated on Maddie’s Birthday, July 5th, to the UCSF NICU.  



Ideally, everyone reading this note will be motivated to donate at least one item (unwrapped, new or gently used) from the list below. My family and friends will travel to UCSF on Maddie’s birthday and present the items to the NICU staff in Madelyn’s memory, followed by a commemorative dinner in the city.  Everyone available is welcomed to accompany us.



Ship items to:
The Madelyn Spence Foundation
PO Box 1245 
Seaside, CA 93955


Please ship items no later then June 30th so they arrive before July 3rd. 

Please keep in mind that the needs of the NICU family are much different then the needs of a “regular baby.”  Unless you are sensitive to these needs (based on experience), I encourage you to stick closely to this wish list.

• Visa or Mastercard gift cards.  (Most families suffer a financial 

burden while in the NICU.  UCSF has few chain restaurants and no big box stores within walking distance)

• Journals for mom and dad

• Umbrella Strollers

• Bumbo Chairs

• "Overnight" personal hygiene bags for moms and dads.  (toothbrush, toothpaste, comb, unscented soaps, shampoos, socks, etc.)

• Large, soft 

baby blankets, store bought or hand made.

• Hats, headbands, socks

• Leggings (this was something Maddie was fashionably famous for during

her life within the NICU)

• Mobiles and other crib attachments

• Breast-feeding pillows and pillow covers (boppies)

• Breast-feeding modesty covers (hooter hiders)

• Hand and foot print kits (ink is best, quick dry plaster is ok. 

anything that requires mixing and prolonged drying is out)

• Halo Sleep sacks/easy swaddlers

• Going home outfits (comfy and cute in sizes premie to 3 months)

• Burial outfits (not all families have access to these in their time of need)

• A copy of your favorite books or DVDs

• A copy of your toddler/preschoolers/kids favorite books or DVDs

• Arts and craft supplies (to help decorate the Isolates)

• Shutterfly or snapfish gift certificates

• Books for baby
 for parents to re-aloud to their babies, english and spanish (especially lullabies and nursery rhymes)

In other news, Maddie's headstone was placed.  It is beautiful and gut wrenching at the same time.