About Us
We are supporting you
Who we are
Angel Casts support parents, family and whanau through the loss of a child, by creating tangible keepsakes for bereaved parents, in the form of ink prints and hand and feet stone casts. These 3D stone replicas are exact impressions, capturing every line and wrinkle, including fingerprints and skin texture, preserving a perfect likeness of that child to comfort and support mums and dads in grief.
We have been operating as a community group since 2013, and registered as a charity (CC52962) since 2016 after the need for bereavement support and memory making around child loss was identified in the Waikato.
Creating Your Cherished Memories
What we do
Our casts are made from resin based stone which captures every tiny detail, from fine lines and wrinkles to fingerprints and skin texture. Each are lovingly hand made from a mould taken of the childs hands and feet, when they’ve passed away. This is done at their location of choice, either at a local hospital, funeral home, or family home.
We offer families two sets of hand and feet casts (8 casts total), as well as hand and foot ink prints.
This is a free service for families within the Waikato, with children aged from 18 weeks gestation through to 12 years old.
Preserving a Physical Memory
Why this matters
Being able to preserve the physical memory of a child, that a parent can hold and recognise as their own, gives mums and dads something physical to put their hands on that they can share with their family and friends, positively channeling grief, and offering a forum in which to talk.
Parents we work with regularly express how these casts have been instrumental in their grieving process, as well as helping with their other children’s understanding.
Angel Casts strive to create a positive experience around memory making in loss, bringing families together and connecting community with shared experiences.
Creating Your Cherished Memories
Jen Christiansen
Manager & Founder
Hi, I’m Jen.
My husband Aaron and I first started Angel Casts in 2013. After several years of owning our own casting business, Hamilton Lifecasting Studio, I was called by a local midwife who asked me to cast a baby who was sadly born sleeping. It was my first ever request for an angel casts. That day, that experience, changed my life. I knew in that moment how precious these casts would be to his family. How they would hold them, how they would touch his little toes, and feel a connection to their baby they could no longer hold and touch in person. I knew then that this was a tangible memory that could be so vital to a family’s healing, as well as help in their siblings understanding. I knew then, that I never wanted to profit from another mothers loss. I knew then that this had to be a free service. That was the beginning of Angel Casts.
From 2013-2016 Aaron and I supported the cost of Angel Casts ourselves, through profits made in our lifecasting business, and as demand for our service increased we turned to our community for support. With demand nearing it’s peak, often being called to a new angel casting several times a week, we needed more help and more hands on deck. In March 2016 we became a charitable trust (charities number CC52962). We have been overwhelmed with the amount of support from our community, and all those involved with helping us to make this a sustainable service, and we cannot thank you all enough.
We continue to rely on public support to ensure this service remains free for all our families. Please help us to support mums and dads around the Waikato who are suffering the loss of a child. Your donation will help to give parents a physical memory to last a lifetime.
x Jen
Our Team
Jen Christiansen – Manager (Founder)
Vicki Hill – Chairperson, Volunteer & Trustee (ECE Manager)
Ken Stephens – Treasurer & Trustee (KPMG)
Aaron Christiansen – Trustee & Volunteer (Founder)
Virginia Pak – Trustee & Volunteer (GP Nurse)
Andrea Lane – Volunteer (Child Cancer Foundation)
Laura Monahan – Trustee (McCaw Lewis)
Karlena Best – Trustee & Volunteer (Waikato Hospital NICU)
Amanda Hockley – Trustee (McCaw Lewis)
Jaime Flavell – Volunteer (GP Nurse)
Callie Hely – Volunteer
Keep Up To Date With Fundraising Events
Other Memory Making Services
Other Partner Services
There are many wonderful charities and businesses around New Zealand who offer keepsake and memory making services to bereaved families. We’ve compiled a few below.
