45: The Comfort Cub (with Marcella Johnson)

This interview with Marcella Johnson is a continuation of last week’s talk (episode 44).

In this discussion, Marcella shares about how she developed The Comfort Cub (the first weighted therapeutic bear) after the death of her son, who died in her arms fifteen minutes after being born.

I personally know a mom who lost her daughter during pregnancy well over twenty years ago, who started weeping when handed The Comfort Cub, because of the deep healing impact it had on her.

But these bears aren’t just for pregnancy loss. They have a healing effect for many mothers of any age child loss, and for those who have faced other types of deep traumas. And there is starting to be more and more professional confirmation on the helpfulness of this type of therapy.

If you haven’t yet found a way to leave your child a legacy, you may want to consider supplying these Comfort Cubs in your child’s name, for your local hospital or other emergency responders who are on the front lines of trauma and tragedy.

Marcella’s thoughts on leaving a legacy for our child: We don’t want the next person who finds themselves in our place to have to feel the depth of what I felt. What can I do, to help them along? Finding that thing that helps keep your child’s legacy alive is a beautiful and healing thing to do. Every life is precious and significant and needs to be celebrated, cherished and acknowledged.

Marcella Johnson invented the world’s very first weighted therapeutic teddy bear after the death of her son, George Gabriel Johnson, on April 11, 1999. When she first began she made each teddy bear by hand and personally delivered them to every hospital in her hometown of San Diego, CA. The Comfort Cub is now in top hospitals across the USA and is used on every continent to help alleviate grief and trauma.

Although it was originally created for mothers who lose a child, The Comfort Cub has effectively been used to provide profound relief for the loss of any loved one, adoptions, trauma, occupational and autism therapy. She also works closely with the San Diego Police Department in their Trauma Intervention Program, The SD County Emergency Shelter for Children, Domestic Violence Centers and Forensic Health and child abuse victims. Her goal is to help bring healing to anyone experiencing a significant loss or trauma in their life.

She has won several awards for helping those in need including the Soroptimist International “Women Helping Women Award, The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation “Women to Watch Award”, The Channel 10 “Leadership Award” and has received Special Congressional Recognition for outstanding and invaluable service to her community.

Marcella is the mother of five children, has been married for 32 years and lives in San Diego, California. She is a graduate of the University of California at Santa Barbara and has been a tireless volunteer to many non-profit organizations in the San Diego area.

(Note: The views and opinions of our guests outside of this podcast may not be in agreement with GPS Hope.) 

Links referred to in this podcast episode:

Marcella’s website: The Comfort Cub

The Comfort Cub Facebook page

To enter the drawing for The Comfort Cub send an email to office@gpshope.org and put in the subject line; The Comfort Cub. Remember the deadline to enter is midnight Pacific time on Tuesday, March 10.

Birthdays:

There are no birthdays to announce this week.

If you would like your child mentioned on the podcast the week of his or her birthday, click here to fill out the short form with the needed information.

The special song written for our children’s birthdays I Remember Well can be heard here.

Remember to Hold On Pain Eases; there is HOPE!

www.gpshope.org

To have Laura come and minister at your event, contact us at office@gpshope.org.

Grieving Parents Sharing Hope (GPS Hope) is here to walk with parents through the darkness of child-loss, guiding them to a place of hope, light and purpose.

It is a safe place for anyone who has lost a child from this earth. There is no shame or judgment in where you are in this journey, including if you are struggling in your relationship with God or your faith has been completely shattered.