'I do understand what people are going through': St. Mary's Hospital repurposes wedding dresses into infant burial gowns

A program at SSM Health St. Mary's Hospital is taking donated wedding dresses and re-purposing them into bereavement gowns for babies. For one woman, it was a simple decision to donate.

MADISON (WKOW) -- A program at SSM Health St. Mary's Hospital is taking donated wedding dresses and re-purposing them into bereavement gowns for babies. For one woman, it was a simple decision to donate.

A wedding dress once worn by Beth Pahnke will now be worn by someone else.

"A wedding dress has a lot of meaning for a person. And then for me, it even meant more to be able to help somebody else," Pahnke said.

A volunteer at St. Mary's Hospital is stitching donated wedding dresses into infant burial gowns. The program has been around for three years and has made more than 50 dresses.

Pahnke said when she found out about it, the decision was simple. She knew she had to be a part of it and drop off her dress.

"The interesting thing was, I had a situation where I had to deliver a stillborn. So, I took the dress and I put it in my trunk. And here we are," she said.

That experience has never left her. But now, 24 years later, she said it's finding a new meaning -- just like her dress.

"Of course, it's in the back of my mind. But I do understand what people are going through right now," she said.

Joanne Johnson is the Director of Volunteer and Guest Services at SSM Health. She said many donors have had a similar experience.

"They will oftentimes share their story about a loss that they had ... And so, it's very meaningful for them to be able to give back to those who have had the same type of experience," Johnson said.

For the receiving families, it brings a comforting memory of their own loss.

"[It's] so much appreciated by our patients, families who receive these gowns," Johnson said. "It's a nice, you know, memento for them to keep to remind them of their infant."

Because by helping others, Pahnke said, she's helping herself.

"There are a lot of people out there that have gone through the same thing. And time is the only thing that will heal it," she said.

If you are interested in donating a dress, you can reach out to volunteer services at SSM Health St. Mary's Hospital.