Mother Conni

I have to say that entering the fray in Babble’s Top 100 Food Mom Bloggers started out simply as a way of honoring my friend Mother Connie.  It has since become more about honoring her AND getting people aware of the impact she is making in the lives of the people who visit her Food Stamps Cooking Club Blog.  You see, Connie has always been about helping people be healthy (she teaches ways to eat healthier while on a tight budget) but she also truly loves connecting with people and encouraging them.

Her blog is one of community.  The people who visit there aren’t simply people who get their groceries from SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program-food stamps)…even though that is the name of the blog.  It is also written for, and contributed to by, people who receive WIC  (Women, Infants, and Children), Angel Food Ministries, Commodities, Farmer’s Market coupons or groceries from local food pantries.  Connie encourages people to participate with their cooking tips, shopping or marketing tips, health information and to ask questions that she or her readers may have an answer to.

All of this is done with the intention of helping people to stretch their food dollars and to shop, prepare and serve the healthiest meals that they can to their families.  Connie not only accomplishes this…she has been an inspiration to many.  For all of those reasons…I ask you to go here to Babble’s Top 100 Mom Food Bloggers and nominate her.  All you have to do is find her on page 1 or 2 and click on the “like” button to vote for her.   Thanks a lot.  Oh, and go visit her blog…and leave her a comment; she loves comments…tell her Write Where You Are sent you!

The extra mile is what this organization does provide.  They often listen to a parent, of a young cancer patient, express their fears, anxieties and questions about what to expect when cancer hits their family.  Mark and Deloris Bailey, founders of the organization know what it is like as they have been in that position when their son was diagnosed and treated for cancer.  So they created Friends Like Us to meet the needs of young cancer patients by providing them with a chemo bear. 

This chemo bear comes with a medical bag which has tools that doctors and nurses can use to help explain treatments and procedures that the young child may be having to go through.  It is a wonderful tool.  This chemo bear even may have a port just like the child and can have it removed in a bear clinic when the child has his or her port removed.  In the meantime, the bear can be of service when the child is at it most vulnerable going through tests or long lonely nights in the hospital.

Because they are a nonprofit they must get their funds through fund-raising and sponsors.  It costs approximately $550 dollars for them to get 100 bears manufactured to be given to children.  Lately they have combined efforts with some other groups to add books about cancer, musical cds and blankets that wrap the child in warmth.  All of this is done in the name of healing and supporting patients while they are in the battle of their lives.

So if you are a business, a church or an organization that is willing to be a sponsor of Friends Like Us and donate one order of bears to their cause you can contact Mark Bailey  at (419) 557-8543 info@friendslikeus.org .   In exchange for that donation of 100 bears, they are willing to send you a bear with a t-shirt that says Friends Like Us , we helped make a difference, a card shipped with each chemo bear that says generously donated by “your company, church or organizations name on it” and three months of advertising on their front page of their website.

Not only would your business, church, or organization be helping 100 children and their families but you would also be getting exposure for yourself by the willingness of Friends Like Us to promote your name and give you credit for your generosity.   You will be instrumental in helping a child to heal and help to encourage a family who is dealing with a major medical crisis.  Thank you for considering this opportunity to be a friend to Friends Like Us and helping them to fulfill a vital role in the lives of those who are trying to recover their health and well-being!

Friends Like Us is a wonderful non-profit organization which makes it their goal to help support children and encourage their families in their battle against childhood cancer.  The organization was first started after Mark and Deloris Bailey began the journey of helping their own son heal from his battle with leukemia.

The chemo bears come with accessories.  There is a small medical bag that helps to educate the child as they go through their own treatment program.  Doctors, nurses and family members can use the accessories to help demonstrate some of what the child will be going through themselves in their journey to healing.  There is even a bear clinic that will remove the chemo bear’s port as the child gets his/her port removed; returning the bear to the child with it’s very own small scar resembling the child’s new battle scar.

There are times when a child is being treated for cancer, when they must face alone time either through testing, procedures or just moments when family members must go home to attend to siblings, household chores or something as basic as getting a shower and returning phone calls or earning a living.  These separations are hard for everyone.

The chemo bear can provide comfort during those moments and are invaluable.  They cost approximately $30 dollars and donations are always welcome.  When a chemo bear is purchased, you receive not only the bear; but you receive the accessories, a child’s book on living with cancer and a colorful bandanna.  This is really a great way to encourage a child.  The chemo bears are suggested for ages 3-12 because there are small parts which could lead to a choking hazard for younger children.   Siblings are not left out of the equation either.  The Bailey’s understand how delicate the balance is in meeting the needs of all of the family members as they try to meet everyone’s physical and emotional needs during this time.  Chemotherapy can take up to 2 years for a female childhood cancer patient and up to 3 years for a male.  This can be very difficult.  It is their desire to provide comfort and support during this challenging time in the life of the childhood cancer patient and their whole family.

Both Mark and Deloris spend large quantities of time on the phone with family members supplying them with emotional support as well as information on resources and just practical tips on coping with the stress of having a child with cancer.  The work they do cannot be underestimated.  It is their personal goal to have chemo bear program available in all children’s hospitals around the United States.

Friends Like Us relies solely on donations and purchases of products through their gift shop to fund their organization as they do not get grants or any type of federal funding.  Volunteers are also needed to help sew the medical bags that are included with the accessories that come with a chemo bear.   Won’t you please consider volunteering, donating or purchasing products to help keep Friends Like Us helping families?  Spreading the word about the work that they do costs nothing and it may just get the information about Friends Like Us into the hands of a family in desperate need of support and encouragement.  Thanks for visiting!

        The solution was the wonderful hospitality house that is connected to Spectrum Hospital downtown Grand Rapids, Michigan called the Renucci Hospitality House.   I can’t tell you what a wonderful service this Renucci House offers.  It was built in 1999 and helps to house family members of the hospital’s patients that are in need of having a place close by to sleep and rest.  It was designed to provide comfort and rest for the weary soul.  There is a small healing garden that is darling.  There is a playroom for young siblings or children of the hospital patient.  The staff is wonderful and caring, from the hosts to the cleaning crew.   There is a computer for the patient’s family members to use, a laundry facility, an exercise room…and quiet rooms for relaxing.  The dinning room is open 24-7 and the kitchen is stocked with non-perishable food items for those moments when food or drink is needed.

        The Renucci House was founded by Peter P. Renucci and his wife Patricia Renucci.  Back in 1968 one of their children was born through a premature situation and had to stay in the hospital’s neonatal unit.  This was the basis of their awareness of the need to be close to your loved one who is in crisis.   They helped to fund the Renucci House with a gift of $1.6 million because they wanted to thank the community for what had been done for their family.  This is a gift that keeps on giving with a pay it forward theme that I love.

       The atmosphere is one of love, support and healing.  You feel very comforted if you find yourself in need of the Renucci House.  It goes beyond the staff or the comfortable rooms.  There is a very wonderful program of volunteerism that happens here.  Organizations, churches, families and individuals are encouraged to give of their time, talents, and blessings.  You can volunteer to donate and prepare meals for the families who are staying there.   This is normally a great expense for families who must stay nearby their family members during a hospital stay; it may be an expense the family cannot afford.   Truly, this is a huge blessing and one that shows an important part of caretaking and nurturing of families in crisis. 

         Our family benefitted from several meals that had been prepared and served by some of these volunteers.  It was a service that was provided with joy by the volunteers; and that was a wonderful blessing.  The meals were wonderful from the main dish to the salads, drinks and desserts.  One evening, a church had their youth providing community service help to serve the families of the Renucci House.  It was a group of fifth graders and their mentors.  These people went out of their way to be of service to those who stayed there that evening.  They mingled and interacted with the families and showed great care.   I think it is great that young people are being taught the importance of giving back to a community through volunteering their time, skills and willingness to be of service.  Kudos to those involved.

         Volunteers are encouraged to come and bake in the kitchen homemade baked goods or some other treat.  Put together snacks or care bags for the families.  This also opens the door to have conversations with family members who may need someone to talk to.  Comfort and peace are evident throughout the Renucci House because of the volunteer programs.

        The Renucci House actually operates quite a bit through their volunteer programs…from donated non-perishable food items which stock the kitchen for family members to use when they need it; to volunteers to help pay for the family members stay who can not afford to pay, to help cover the cost of staying in the Renucci House.   This is a big deal if a hospital stay goes on for very long.  Family members may have a hard time paying for their rooms, or much needed items to be able to stay close to their loved ones.   Some volunteers give gift cards to be used at local stores or restaurants in the area.    Perhaps donating a telephone calling card would benefit families who are staying at the Renucci House but have long distance calls to make.   Talk to the manager of the house to see if current magazines can be donated or perhaps you have a nurturing spirit and have time to greet guests or maybe volunteer to help in the library.  Empty nesters  or retirees who find themselves with time on their hands may wish to do something meaningful with all of their spare time.   The Renucci House volunteers provide breakfast and dinners daily…they need a large number of volunteers who are willing to provide this needed service.

       You know, the Renucci House is near to the Lemmen -Holton Cancer Pavilion, the Devos Children’s Hospital, and the Lena Meijer Heart Center; all of these facilities have patients and families.   There is a huge need to support those patients and their families at a time when they are facing some of the biggest battles of their lives.   Often there are so many emotions to deal with such as fear, anxiety, depression, sadness and hope.  The Renucci House provides the basics to allow people to cope with their emotions.   Please, spread the word, volunteer and give help when and where you can.  Having compassion and opening your hearts to opportunities to help is an important part of life…please get involved.   You never know when you or someone you care about may need some of those same things.

        If someone has time or talent to give or just feels moved to donate monitarily to the Renucci House you can contact their house manager at (616) 391-1790.  

 You can view their website here: http://www.spectrum-health.org/renucci .  My family is going to volunteer soon…we may even take our youth group down and prepare a meal for the family members in the near future.  As a family who has benefitted from a stay at the Renucci House recently, I want to say thank you to all of the volunteers, to the staff of the Renucci House and to the Renucci Family themselves for impacting the Grand Rapids community and it’s surrounding area with love, compassion and support.  You are appreciated greatly!

       The incident involved the forced, and coerced, tattooing of a 14 year old special needs student.  This student had been exposed to bullying at school; and, these so called adults (all over the age of 18) allegedly told him that the bullying would stop if he got a tattoo.  He said he didn’t want one; but still, he was allegedly threatened and forced to get a tattoo which had some kind of image along with obscene words on his buttocks. 

         Tattoos take time to apply to a person; even when a person wants to have one.  I can’t imagine what this young man endured during this “procedure”.  He’s been taunted at school by other students who are picking on him because of his special needs and then he is assaulted in this way.  Not only is he physically scared but he is also emotionally scared because these people chose to humiliate and abuse him. 

         This whole situation came to the attention of the authorities because pictures of this young 14 year old abuse victim were being circulated at school and a teacher reported it to the authorities when they became aware of the pictures.    Thank you to the unknown teacher who had the courage to do the right thing!  Teachers don’t often get enough credit these days for what they do at school for our kids.  Often, teachers are on the first line of defense when it comes to protecting special needs students from abuse or bullying.   Along the same lines, other students who are caring and filled with the strength of character to be an advocate for special needs students are becoming more rare these days.  To those of you who do the right thing in these types of situations…I thank you as well.

        I wonder, just how many people saw these photos and laughed?  Were they amused at the image, the words, or just the fact that someone that they considered to be of a lessor value than they themselves, or one of their friends, was put in this position of having their picture plastered all over the school for others to look at and make fun of him? 

         Were they not moved by compassion to report such a terrible crime?  How can a person take joy in the torture, humiliation, or abuse of another person; whether they know them or not?  Is not a special needs person worthy of protection, compassion, or caring? 

          I mean, even if someone does not know a special needs person; don’t they understand that they have feelings and emotions just like they themselves?  Everyone wants to feel safe, be loved, be accepted and have friends at school.  It is unacceptable that this situation was turned into a source of entertainment by some students. 

          The victim here was only 14 years old.  I think that those pictures should be considered sexual exploitation by anyone who had access to them or viewed them and did not report it.  Any person who was passing along the photos to others should suffer consequences as well as the people who were involved in the actual abuse of this young man.

       How can people who are supposedly blessed with average or above intellectual abilities treat another human being in this way?  What gives them the right to consider themselves better than another person; simply because of a perceived imperfection called special needs?   It is wrong, it is cruel, it is immoral, and it is…ILLEGAL. 

       Parents, teachers, neighbors, grandparents, church leaders we must all take our roles of leadership seriously and start instilling in our young people tolerance, compassion and empathy towards others; especially the most vulnerable individuals in our society such as young children, the elderly or those who are afflicted with disabilities.   It is important that we do this because as a nation, we are losing our moral compass because people who can do these kind of horrible things to their fellow human beings and not see something wrong with it are becoming more common everyday.

         Hello…no-one SHOULD have to tell another person that this kind of behavior is wrong.   However, New Hampsire’s court system should make it clear; because these four individuals in New Hampshire have been arrested and charged for their actions.   Let’s hope that the legal system really makes an impact on others who think they can be cruel, and treat other human beings any way they want to and get away with it; by making the legal punishment fit the crime.   The punishment should be large enough to send a message to anyone else who may consider bullying or abusing a special needs individual, that it is NOT the right thing to do!   What do you think would be an appropriate punishment for someone who abuses another person in this way?

        That is fine and good…even an interesting social experiment if you ask me.  However, recently some of these flash mobs have turned towards destructive behaviors such as blocking traffic, walking streets and smashing windows, climbing on vehicles and scaring tourists and community members. 

          Many of these flash mobs are being organized with text messages, online social media sites like Twitter and Facebook as well as others.   Even in the best of circumstances, an event that is organized like this has the potential to go from good to bad at a moment’s notice. 

           However, my feeling is that depending on what the original intent of the coming together of large groups of young people; it is imperitive that they maintain a clear head and think for themselves.   If the “invitation” to come together is for a theme or idea of something good and pure…then by all means, go with the best of intentions.  Do good.  Have fun.   Enjoy!  However, be responsible for yourself and your actions.  If things start to go badly…use that technology or social media to notify authorities.  Don’t join in illegal, immoral, or destructive behaviors.

       If that “invitation” for a flash mob or group activity starts out with some destructive purpose…be responsible; don’t join in, and please, notify the authorities about what you have seen or heard.  Don’t take the pathway of “It is not my responsibility to do anything about it”.  If you “know” about it…you have a responsibility to report it, in my opinion.  You could be instrumental in preventing a tragedy, or violence or some kind of related damage to an event that never had the potential of being a positive event in the first place.

        Thinking for oneself is critical to keeping people on a positive moral track.  It can help prevent a person from being caught up in that group mentality that can have long term legal, moral,physical, spiritual and emotional consequences.

         Instilling a strong sense of values and personal responsibility in children is the best way to avoid raising up young adults who will diregard the safety and well-being of others or in other words desensitizing them to doing what is the right thing to do in any given circumstance.

          Any time we try to persuade someone to go along with the crowd, without thinking that action through, weighing the pros and cons of taking such an action; it is wrong.  

           I happen to love social media, the immediacy of the technological world that we live in…but like anything in our environment it can be perverted or used for selfish intent.   Teaching our young people to think for themselves, to consider any consequences of their actions before they choose to follow the crowd can make for stronger individuals and promote a life of keen decision making.   Believe it or not, it can also be a shot in the arm at preventing crime or illegal activities that can negatively impact our families, our communities, businesses, and our schools.

           Parents, friends, neighbors, clergy, teachers…authority figures of any description need to inspire our youth to live and breathe independent thinking; combined with responsibility and caring action.  If you see someone who is being be-littled or bullied by others, or being controlled by stronger willed personalities in their lives…encourage them to stand true to themselves and the values that they believe it.  Teach them it is ok to do the right thing- teach them to recognize what IS the right thing.   In fact, live that life yourself and be an inspiration; simply by the way you live your own life. 

      This is not ok.  The reason that it is not ok is because our country is increasingly finding out that our kids are in trouble.  They often have relationship issues, drug/alcohol abuse issues, eating disorders, trust issues and more.   Many of their role models have not been good ones; and finding good leadership for them to learn from is difficult.  Teen years are challenging at best when it is natural for them to try to discover who they are and what freedoms they can enjoy.

       They are in trouble in school, at home, out with their friends, in trouble with the law, they are isolated, angry, hurt, sad, frustrated, fearful and many are finding it hard to trust anyone or anything to be there for them.  Yet at the same time, there is resistence or open rebellion when it comes to accepting advice or rules meant to help them, keep them safe and meant to guide or direct them.  This not only creates difficulty in having a healthy, loving and respectful relationship between parent and child it also puts the child/teen at risk of being influenced by others who have no real vested interest in making sure that the child/teen is happy, healthy, productive and well-balanced in their life.

       One of the situations that came to my attention was a situation in which a school in the US runs a health clinic.  At the beginning of the year, a parent signed a consent form allowing the child/teen to go to the clinic if the need arose for treatment.  This would have allowed that student to receive care for a headache, a physical, birth control, and a multi-tude of other services.  One of those other services appears to be pregnancy counseling and get this…the facilatation of setting up and transporting the student off school grounds to receive an abortion-without informing or getting the consent of the legal parent of said student.   This did in fact happen, a student was put in a taxi from my understanding of the news report and sent off to receive an abortion.  Evidently by signing that generic consent form this “allowed” the high school student to receive such services.   This is outrageous; it is not like that student had a hangnail removed…this student made a life altering decision; one that will impact her physically, spiritually and emotionally…without parental involvement.

       That is or should be unacceptable to most families.  It is as if the school assumed a superior level of authority over the parents in an area of life that should have been left up to the student, her parents, the student’s boyfriend and his parents and if they could not handle the situation then, and only then, maybe the court system.  

        Parental rights and parental authority are under attack in this country.  We see it at every level of society from commercials on television and radio, to the internet, to entertainment such as music videos, movies, and television shows…the parents are made out to be interferring, control freaks, laughable buffoons to be made fun of, and if at all necessary someone to distance themselves from.   Yet when kids get out of control behaviorally, emotionally or physically…many other venues from the schools, to law enforcement to businesses want the parents to “handle or correct” the situation with their children/teens.   You can’t expect parents to be an authority figure to their kids if you are putting down, reducing the effects of parental authority/control, or are in some way ridiculing parental involvement in their kids lives.  

       It is hard when parents are often told how they can and cannot discipline or correct their children.  The respect for parental authority is challenged in court and in the classroom.  It doesn’t help when many families are broken or in fact have never formed legally in the first place.  Kids get conflicting sets of rules and expectations and often in those situations are told by whatever person in authority over them at the time tears down or directly tells the child/teen that they do not have to listen to or respect the other parent’s rules or expectations if they differ from their own.

       In the news also is the case of a father who took his child to church against the wishes of the mother.  When the mother and father were together they agreed to raise the child in the Jewish faith.  When the parents were no longer together…the father decided to go back to his Christian faith and take his child to court.  Now the court says he can not expose the child to his faith.  Who has more authority with the child; the mother, the father, or the court.  Evidently the court does.  

        This is why in previous generations there were warnings about “mixed marriages” when it came to beliefs or what the old timers called being unequally yolked or joined together.  It is hard to have a respectful blending of beliefs and raise children in those kind of relationships.  Can it be done?  It seems only if the couple agrees to expose them to differing viewpoints…because in this particular case, the court says no, the father may not take his child to his church to educate the child about his beliefs.   Is this right or wrong?

        I have a friend who has a special needs child who is in his 30′s who lives in an assisted living type of home.  That individual developed some complications with his health years ago and almost died.  The parent in that situation had to fight tooth and nail to keep authority over the medical treatment of her son.  Again this past week, her parental authority was challenged.  

        The doctor in charge wanted to medicate her child to battle some health issues that a lifestyle change would also help to fascilitate his return to health.  It looked as if the powers that be would escalate the struggle to the next level and would have even gone beyond harsh words and a pushy agenda in gaining the upper hand in who was in control over the medical decisions regarding the young man.   The parent had to push to “temporarily” removed him from the environment and stressed that the same goal of reducing the health risk to her son could be achieved by changes to his diet and exercise plan on a daily basis.   This is going to come down to what they can achieve and the documentation of her approach.  If it doesn’t work the way that the parent knows to be true; then the facility will try to enforce their plan of medication which in his case can have an extremely dire affect upon his health because of the side effects.

         All of these situations and more every day are jeparodizing the importance of the role that parents play in shaping the lives of their children.  We who have children have to step up to the plate and demand that we be given the opportunity to raise our children to the best of our ability with full legal, moral, physical and spiritual authority; unless we prove that we are not capable of handling that authority.  Parental authority/parental rights should only be challenged or threatened in cases of abuse/neglect/or endangerment.

        What are your thoughts on this subject?  Do you have an experience that you would like to share?

        Cynical people who think that pastors are constantly “begging” for money from the pulpit may feel vindicated by news stories like this one about Pastor Warren’s plea for donations; but, they shouldn’t.  Churches supply a huge role in helping people, in need, in communities all around the world.  For the working poor, who often cannot get help from governmental agencies because they “earn too much money to qualify”, the local churches are a lifeline when it comes to seeing them meet the needs of families in their local communities.  Many churches have a benevolence committee or a food pantry…some even have access to donated clothing or household items that families in crisis are in need of, but can’t afford to provide their loved ones. 

         Churches are often asked to help people pay their heating bills, or help them pay their rent, give them gas money so they can get back and forth to work, provide them with groceries or money for food to feed their children.  The needs are great and becoming greater everyday with the homeforclosures, job layoffs or downsizings and with employees who lose their medical benefits and have to use their cash to provide medical needs to their dependents.

       Churches are the silent heros (as they should be) in the struggle to provide for people in need; just as Jesus commands his followers to do, in his name, in the book of Matthew.   In Matthew 25, the Bible talks about God judging on the day of judgement regarding helping those in need.    In Matthew 25 vs. 40-46, He basically says that when we give to those in need; to the hungry, the thirsty, the unclothed, those in prison,  it is as if we are giving to him and, if we do not give to those in need…it is as if we have denied him; we will be judged on whether we have been his hands and his feet in our service to others.  It can mean the difference between going to heaven or going to hell in our eternal destination. 

        It is a hard heart that sees another person suffering in need and denies them help when they have the ability to positively impact their situation.  The body of Christ, his churches, want to help…they desire to help…but, they are limited in their ability to help when they are often in the same situation as those who come and knock at the perverbial door of the church looking for assistance.   Tithing or the giving back a tenth of the blessings that God provides his people is scriptual.  We are supposed to give 1/10 of our wealth, our time, our skills-our blessings back to God…that is not much that he is requiring from us.   I have a friend who has a passion to help others…she uses her talents to provide information to those who get much of their food from food pantries or food stamp programs…she teaches them to provide healthy and filling meals from the food in those programs.  This is a link to her site as it ministers to others: http://foodstampscookingclub.com/blog/  She gives back to others out of her joy and her skills!

         God does not need our money…but tithing is an obedience that he requires from us.  He uses that obedience to him through our churches, our charities and our associations to meet the needs of the poor.  It is a tool of ministry to reach the sinners who do not believe and to help provide for those who are believers as well who are going through struggles of their own.  Are there people who will take advantage of this?  Yes, but that is why there are guidelines set up for most ministry programs so that people do not abuse this ministry outreach, in most churches.  That way, more people can receive the help and services of the church ministry programs.

         So, when people pay their tithes in church…this money helps to keep the church functioning so that it can continue to be God’s hands reaching out to meet the physical, emotional and spiritual needs of his people.    It is wrong to sit in church, absorb all the good things that a spirit filled church provides and not give back; so those people who claim to be Christians and do not do as God commands by paying their tithes and giving of offerings…there are consequences…don’t be fooled into thinking that your obedience in this matter doesn’t count.  

            Don’t become jaded when that offering plate comes to you…or you hear a pastor asking for donations; it takes money to keep the lights on, heat the church building, pay the church staff, put gas in the church vans to bring in people who don’t have a car to drive, and minister to families in crisis,  and couples whose marriages may be in trouble.    Give of your time (volunteer), your skills, your money…your personal possessions when you have the opportunity; just because it is the right thing to do.   If you don’t have money but have a skill that would benefit others…use it to help them.  If you don’t have a skill or money but you have free time…become a volunteer and be a willing hand!

         As a worker in my own church, I see the truth in how the church reaches out and blesses it’s people, the community and those in need.  I want to do my part and be a blessing and not a curse.  How about you…are you doing your part?

Update:  http://www.writewhereyouareblog.com/his-cup-runneth-over/

       Bloggers everywhere are taking up the battle cry and trying  to create an awareness of the issue.  For anyone who has loved someone who has had to face a premature birth…they understand the struggle.  There is fear, danger, health issues…financial issues and there is bonding issues because of hospitalizations after a premature delivery.  That is if you are lucky …and the baby survives the premature birth…many do not. 

        I had a nephew named Aaron who was born weighing in at one pound & four ounces during the eighties…he lived a very short time dying from complications from a premature birth.  I know the trauma of premature birth.  It leaves a whole in the lives of those it touches.  Since that time, I have had a couple of grandchildren who were also born prematurely who have survived and thrived thanks to the medical advances that we have made in this country.  We have learned alot since my nephew was born all of those years ago.

       For many children who are born prematurely; they struggle with immediate and long term health issues.  There can be breathing problems, internal organ damage, brain damage, learning disabilities…the list goes on.  Each week of pregnancy is important…the baby is constantly developing and being born too soon puts that development at risk.  In fact, the baby’s very life is at risk when born too soon.

        Families expecting a picture perfect delivery are often under extreme stress.  Often their dream of holding their infant and feeding their infant at home in a rocking chair with friends and family coming to visit is delayed because of the special needs of a premature birth.   Holding their baby might involve reaching through the isolette with gloves on their hands while they wear hospital gowns and protective face masks.  Feeding their child may involve a tube through the stomach.  

        Elimating as many threats to the health of children born early is important.   The March of Dimes is doing their part to help families who struggle with issues resulting from premature births.  

         Please wont you help them raise money and awareness about the Fight For Preemies .