Barnes-Jewish Hospital | Washington University Physicians
LAST WORD | 
essays on life, health and medicine

STITCHED TOGETHER

Originally published Jun 2020

BY CONNIE MITCHELL
Tina Briggs-Ahring quilt
Photo courtesy of Werremeyer Creative

Tina Briggs-Ahring made this quilt for the Heart Transplant Association. The heart she had received in her first transplant, in 2002, was failing; she was hoping for another. To make the quilt, Tina first traced one hand of every person on her care team at the Washington University and Barnes-Jewish Transplant Center. Next, she cut blue hands, red hearts and blue squares out of fabric and stitched the pieces together to make a whole. Ms. Briggs-Ahring died on June 10, 2017. She left behind a testimony to the strength it takes to offer—and to receive—compassion.


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