Our Story
Sebastien entered the world at 26 weeks of gestation, perfectly formed and healthy to the delight of his mother, Audri Cabness. Upon his early arrival, he was intubated to help him breathe, and then placed in an incubator. Suddenly and without warning, he died three days later. His mother left the hospital childless and without an explanation for his death. Her search for answers led her down a long, heart-wrenching and eye-opening road- to find that her beautiful baby boy did not have to die. Since then, she has been determined to serve Sebastien in life and death, so that neither will have been in vain.
Sebastien and his mother shared brief and fleeting moments together, but her cooing, melodic voice brought his perfect, toothless smile, a smile that will be etched in her heart forever. These moments frozen in time live on in the hearts and minds of the parents, family, and friends left behind. This is why Audri created Sebastien’s Smile Foundation in her precious son’s memory- to help alleviate the pain of perinatal infant loss experienced by grieving parents worldwide.
Our Mission
Perinatal infant death is unfathomable, leaving parents questioning their ability, and sometimes their own right, to go on living. At Sebastién’s Smile Foundation, Inc., we understand this. For this reason, we help parents experiencing perinatal infant loss gain access to medical, legal, and public resources to help them begin the healing process. We do this by linking parents to appropriate community resources in Washington, DC, Maryland, Virginia (DMV), and beyond; by making small grants available to qualified organizations for grief counseling for affected families; and by responding to emerging needs of the perinatal loss community. We support the training and contributions of community birth workers and Birth Doulas towards promoting healthy outcomes for all birthing women and their newborns. We are especially sensitive to the needs of ALICE (i.e., asset-limited, income constrained, employed) residents.
Our Vision
Sebastien’s Smile Foundation seeks to engage with healthcare industry leaders and other community partners throughout the District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia, as an educational resource to the community. Our goal is to collaborate with experts to disseminate scientific research findings on maternal and infant mortality in an effort to identify and reduce factors and implications related to perinatal death, particularly in communities of color.
Black Maternal Health Week
Preventing Pregnancy-Related Deaths
A death during or within 1 year of the end of pregnancy is a tragedy for a family, a community, and for society. This is especially true since most of these deaths are preventable.
Health care providers can help women prepare for pregnancy and for potential problems during pregnancy.
CDC is working to prevent pregnancy-related deaths.
Events Calendar
ACKNOWLEDGING The Perinatal Loss & Infant Death Alliance, PLIDA Conference. Contact sebastienssmile@gmail.com for more information about supporting a loved one in need today.
POSTPARTUM SUPPORT INTERNATIONAL (PSI) offers:
> Support For Fathers
> PSI Dad’s Chat with an expert on first Mondays at 8:00 p.m. Eastern
> Additional Father Resources available at:
www.postpartum.net/gethelp/resources-for-fathers/
www.postpartum.net/gethelp/resources-forfathers/dads-mentalhealth/
The Board of Sebastien's Smile Foundation is considering other ways to make an impact. We would like to donate at least one CuddleCot (shown below) to a hospital in the DMV in 2025-2026. A CuddleCot "provides continuous cooling allowing families to hold their baby without concerns about temperature fluctuations from body heat. This extended time enables grieving parents to take photos, create precious memories, allow extended family to travel and meet the baby, receive support, and make arrangements without feeling rushed. This level of bereavement care is deeply valued by both families and the compassionate healthcare professionals who support them."
The estimated cost of a single CuddleCot is $2,950. The University of Maryland Hospital of the Capital Region in Largo, MD, currently has one CuddleCot. It is sanitized and reused as needed. We will talk with other area hospitals to see where there is the greatest need.
Stay tuned for information about a planned Fall fundraiser for the entire family where, together, we can raise funds to purchase and donate a CuddleCot.
However, you need not wait until then. Your contributions are welcome any time. Moreover, in these uncertain economic times, we would like to suggest monthly, quarterly, or annual giving to make it easier for you to donate. Another way to get involved is to host a fundraiser in your home inviting your family, friends, and colleagues to raise funds to secure a CuddleCot. Now, that sounds like a fun tax-refundable idea, and we would be very happy to attend! Call 240-797-6608 to plan an event on the behalf of the foundation.
Audri presents the SSF check for $2,500 to Marie-Hélène Owens, the 2023 Neonatal Nursing Scholarship recipient.
Ms. Owens is completing her Doctorate in Nursing Practice (DNP) at the University of Maryland School of Nursing (UMSOM), with a focus on the weakest and most frail neonates.
[Note: The search for nursing student applicants revealed that Nursing School undergraduates take generalist courses to earn their RN degrees; they do not specialize. For this reason, the scholarship was awarded to an advanced practice nursing student.]
Anyone whose life has been touched by pregnancy or baby loss knows that it is a life-changing traumatic experience. While many providers that bereaved families encounter are compassionate and caring, unfortunately, that is not always the case. Sometimes how care is handled and family interactions in the healthcare system create additional traumas that complicate the already vulnerable grief they are experiencing. In this webinar, Catharine McDonald, MS, LPC, will look at different types of traumas and how they can be influenced by healthcare providers and situational complications. Lastly, she will explore how to be an empowered advocate for the care you deserve whether it’s anticipating a loss or navigating healthcare after a loss.
Return to Zero: HOPE is a non-profit organization working to transform the culture of silence and isolation around pregnancy and infant loss.
Our Vision: Every family experiencing pregnancy and infant loss will have access to resources, social support, and informed professional care to empower families to live a meaningful and hopeful life.
Our Mission: Return to Zero: HOPE is a non-profit organization engaging a global community of bereaved parents and their health providers to improve mental health outcomes, while also advancing pregnancy and infant loss awareness, education, and support.
International Perinatal Bereavement Conference (IPBC) 2024, The Drake, Chicago, Illinois, USA | eMedEvents
He Lost His Baby Too
RTZ Hope provides compassionate and holistic support for people who have experienced unimaginable loss during their journey to parenthood.
Recently published book, "He Lost His Baby Too: A Survival Guide for the Grieving Dad." Drawing from my own experiences as a grieving father who has navigated this challenging journey twice, I've crafted a powerful resource aimed at offering solace and support to fathers in their time of need.
This book is a testament to the importance of acknowledging and embracing the pain that accompanies such profound loss. By encouraging dads to surrender to their emotions and seek help, the book aims to initiate a ripple effect of healing that extends to all those affected by the loss.
"He Lost His Baby Too" provides a framework that empowers fathers to give themselves permission to grieve openly, fostering a sense of understanding and acceptance.
2023 Spring Tea, Mimosas & Silent Auction
Twilight Tea & Mimosas Scholarship Fundraising Event
We appreciate the support of all attendees at the Twilight Tea/Mimosas event and gratitude for all donors. We especially acknowledge the CPMG FOUNDATION, our event sponsor, for their very generous contribution
2022 First Annual Fundraiser at TopGolf
Thank you to everyone for joining us at Sebastien's Smile Foundation Golf Benefit. We want to recognize our event sponsors ($200+ higher), especially JAAC HEALTHCARE, Dr. Jacqueline Porter; Suzanne Payne, & others.
Sebastien's Smile Foundation Golf Benefit
2022 Grant Distribution--Aaliyah In Action
Pictured here from left to right is Jessica Correnti of The Tears Foundation/Maryland Chapter & Audri Cabness.
Pictured here from left to right is Audri Cabness and Elizabeth O'Donnell, the founder/CEO of Aaliyah In Action.
Scootietoots and the Feathers From Heaven: A Family Healing Book
Our Board Members
The Board of Sebastiens Smile Foundation Incorporated is compries citizens dedicated to improving the lives of families grieving the loss of an infant. Each member brings broad experience, unique vision and expertise to the Board. Each board member also envisions better maternal and infant birth outcomes, especially among women in marginalized communities.
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Chairperson
The Sebastiens Smile Foundation is the brainchild of Children’s Advocate, Audri Cabness, who endured the pain associated with the loss of her beloved infant son (Sebastien) in 2016. She conceived of the foundation as a way to help others navigate complex systems with which they might interact following the death of an infant. She has written a book titled ScootieToots and the Feathers from Heaven- A Family Healing Book, which was written to help all members of a family to heal not only individually but also in a cohesive way as a family. Ms. Cabness is a graduate of the University of South Florida- St. Petersburg where she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Interdisciplinary Social Science with concentrations in Criminology and Sociology. An entrepreneur, Ms. Cabness is the founder and CEO of Bless My Hair! Haircare. She is also a Realtor licensed in Washington, DC, and Maryland and is a member of the National Association of Realtors, The Greater Capital Area Association of Realtors, and the Maryland Association of Realtors.
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Cori Jackson is a Registered Nurse with years of experience. After obtaining her bachelor’s degree from Bowie State University, she embarked on her nursing journey. Although her focal point of expertise is in women and infant’s healthcare--her passion--Cori feels she has a strong calling in Psychiatric nursing. Her goal is to further her education to become a family nurse practitioner.
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Lili Shoulders is an interior design and project management professional, with nearly two decades of expertise in the commercial, government, and healthcare sectors. She is actively involved in organizational strategy and planning, developing standards, processes, and procedures, and overseeing change management and implementation. She is also a mother to one son who is a student-athlete at Prince Georges Community College in Largo, MD. Ms. Shoulders is a graduate of Howard University in Washington, DC, with active PMP, LEED GA, and OSHA 10 certifications.
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Secretary
Dr. Jessica Cabness earned a Master’s in Social Work concentrating on social policy, planning, and administration and a Doctorate in advanced clinical social work, from The Catholic University of America in Washington, DC. She is a licensed clinical social worker in Maryland, with experience across health care and hospice settings. Dr. Cabness is an active member of the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) Ethics Peer Review Consultant Cadre and Catholic University Alumni Board of Directors.
