Mission
Make a Memory Foundation photographs seriously ill, terminally ill and deceased children between the ages of 23 weeks (pregnancy) and 17 years at the request of parents and through the mediation of care professionals. The photos offer the parents comfort and a lasting memory and can be of great help in coming to terms with the loss.
Why it matters
Make a Memory has a strong, personal connection for LEWIS team member Niek Gooren.
“Four years ago, around Christmas, our son Mathijs died during birth. Although there were no signs beforehand that anything was wrong, it still went terribly wrong. The best moment of our lives became a nightmare. When something like that happens, you live on a roller coaster. I don’t know how it could have happened, but suddenly MakeAMemory was at our door within hours. They made a portrait of our son free of charge. As anyone can probably imagine, this portrait is very important to me and my girlfriend. It was the moment when we became a family and the only visual memory of our son. My own personal memories of him are hazy nightmares of fear and grief as he lay in my arms. But the photos show him at peace. It is the only thing we have of him and these photos are worth more to me than anything else. They have helped me to get back on my feet, and to mourn him with a sense of pride that he is my son.”
LEWIS is proud to support Make a Memory as part of its Causes program.