We are very excited for this year's March for Babies event! Katie, Jack, Josie and I are thrilled to continue to support this great organization and are incredibly thankful for all our friends and family who have come out to support us both through donations and in person at our favorite event. Those who have donated in the past have directly affected the health of both Jack and Josephine. We ask that you help continue that support to impact other families that may go through this in the future.
We encourage you to sign up and be a part of Team Jack & Josie and hope that you can join us again this year in supporting the March of Dimes, an amazing organization that has given so much to our son, our daughter, and our family through medical and emotional support.
Every day, thousands of babies are born too soon, too small, and often very sick. Our team is walking in the March for Babies to support our micropreemies, Jack and Josephine, and to help those going through what we had to endure. March of Dimes funded research helped develop Surfactant therapy, which was given to both Jack and Josephine as they battled Respiratory Distress Syndrome during their first days of life. Those who have donated in the past have directly affected the health of both Jack and Josephine. We ask that you help continue that support to impact other families that may go through this in the future.
The March for Babies is the largest and most successful event put on by March of Dimes, and we ask that you help support the organization that has helped Jack and Josephine be with us today. If you can't walk with us, please help by donating to our team. You can do so right on this page. Thank you for helping us give all babies a healthy start! Here are Jack and Josephine's stories:
While visiting family in New York for Christmas, Katie was not feeling well and was taken to the hospital in the early hours on the day after Christmas. She was diagnosed with HELLP Syndrome and had an emergency delivery within hours of our arrival at the hospital. On December 26, 2013, Jack Robert was born at NYU Langone Winthrop Hospital in Mineola, NY. He weighed 1lb 7oz, was 12in long, and born at 26 weeks, over 3 months premature. Jack had several setbacks involving his lungs and his abdomen, fighting infections and enduring multiple surgeries. But Jack remained strong and continued to grow throughout his nearly 5 months in the NICU. After 100 days, our little fighter was released from NYU Langone Winthrop Hospital. We then traveled back home to Chicago, only to have Jack be readmitted to the hospital within 24 hours of returning. Jack spent another 21 days in the NICU at Lurie Children’s Hospital with more complications. After 3 weeks of monitoring and testing, Jack was cleared and released in May for a second time from the NICU to finally come home for good. Jack is now a happy and healthy 11 year old, enjoying fifth grade and playing sports!
On March 8, 2017, we welcomed our daughter, Josephine Morgan, under nearly the exact same circumstances at Sky Ridge Hospital in Lone Tree, CO. She was born at 26 weeks and weighed 1lb 8oz. Similar to Jack, Josephine had several setbacks initially and was on a ventilator for the first 60 days in the NICU, as well as battling multiple infections. Like her older brother, Josephine was a little fighter and after 91 days in the NICU was released to come home in June. She is now a happy and healthy 8 year old, enjoying second grade, playing sports, and making new friends!
Jack was born early due to Katie having HELLP Syndrome, and Josephine was delivered as Katie was beginning to develop similar symptoms, although both Josephine and Katie were much healthier and more stable at the time of delivery than when Jack was born. The doctors told us after Jack was delivered that the chances of Katie contracting HELLP Syndrome during her first pregnancy were less than 10%, and that the chances of her delivering early again for similar circumstances were less than 1%. Given both Jack and Josephine are doing well considering the odds they faced is truly remarkable, and none of this would have been possible without the amazing nurses, doctors, and staff at the NICU, and without the help, support, and love of our family and friends. Thank you to everyone, and we hope you can continue to support Jack and Josephine through March of Dimes!
With preterm birth rates continuing to rise, the U.S. remains among the most dangerous developed nations for childbirth, especially for women and babies of color.
At March for Babies™ you're lifting up communities, creating connections and taking action to make America a more equitable place and ensure that every mom and baby is healthy.
Together, we’re marching to raise funds and awareness to transform the health of all families!
THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT!
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