Flower shop supports initiative for grieving parents

Jul. 14—MANKATO — Costs shouldn't get in the way of parents who need to talk to a mental health professional after losing a newborn or infant, said Kelsey Barchenger.

Barchenger, along with her sister, Heather Hering, and fellow KEYC News anchor, Lisa Cownie, co-founded an initiative providing grieving parents with free therapy sessions. Known as the Mac Initiative, the partnership with Sioux Trails Mental Health Center is named after Hering's son, Mac, who died shortly after his birth in 2019.

After Sioux Trails' therapists went through specific training to offer the therapy, free sessions launched in April. The initiative's focus since then has been to spread the word so parents know help is out there.

Their efforts received a publicity and funding boost this month when Hilltop Florist in Mankato chose the Mac Initiative for July's Hope in Bloom program.

Being selected, especially as a newer organization, was huge, Barchenger said.

"To have them reach out, knowing we're a new organization, means a lot," she said. "They know it's an issue in our community and across the region."

In announcing July's recipient, Hilltop Florist owner Deb Newman stated the goal for Hope in Bloom is to support nonprofits helping children and families in the Mankato area. The flower shop designs a custom floral arrangement, then donates a portion of the proceeds to the selected nonprofit.

"The Mac Initiative, in partnership with Sioux Trails Mental Health Center, helps families who are grieving the loss of a child," she said. "With Hope in Bloom, people can give a gift that is generous in more ways than one as 20% of the proceeds will go directly to the Mac Initiative."

The team behind the Mac Initiative reached out to local medical providers as a way to inform parents about the free therapy sessions. While it's the sort of service they hope parents never need, infant loss is an unfortunate reality.

Minnesota's infant mortality rate was about 4.7 per 1,000 live births, or about 300 total deaths, in 2018, according to the Minnesota Department of Health. The majority of the deaths occurred in the baby's first 27 days, with birth defects being the leading cause.

Barchenger, Mac's aunt, said she and her family are still processing the loss. Bills for therapy only add stress on top of a family's grieving process, she added.

"That's what we're there for is to help people grieve in a healthy way and not have to worry about the extra stress of how to pay for this," she said.

She's hopeful the flower shop's July promotion will connect more parents in need to mental health services, while honoring Mac's life in the process.

"We hope this will help continue Mac's legacy and help other parents know there's a way to turn such a terrible tragedy into a sense of hope," she said.

To inquire about the Mac Initiative's therapy sessions through Sioux Trails, call the mental health center's Mankato office at 507-388-3181 or the St. Peter office at 507-934-2652.

Follow Brian Arola @BrianArola

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