The first time I had heard anything about the Lauren's Hope Foundation, I was staring at my baby boy for one of the first times, and I was completely consumed with mother love. Everything that was being told to me was getting filed away with all of the other "unbelievables" of the week...it wasn't until later that I actually put all of the pieces together. When it finally hit me that my son was the first baby to have this therapy, I couldn't believe it. Everyone from the NICU was so professional, reassuring, and comforting. Even as a nurse I could not detect one ounce of uncertainty in how this treatment was carried out, and I quickly realized that they had been studying, training, and preparing for this so carefully, and were just as excited as we were to see Liam thrive. The bonds we made with the NICU staff was unforgettable, and we will always share that special connection. What is even more phenomenal is that this program should have taken over 5 years to put into place, and with the dedication of Ann Flood and Lorraine Dickey, this program was ready in just over 2 years - right in time for Liam. The unbelievable part here is that if the program was not in place at LVH, Liam would have needed to get transported to Philadelphia for the treatment, and there is a good chance that he would have missed the 6 hour window to initiate treatment. After it all sank in, I realized that although Liam's journey had been rough and I may never understand why, it was the one he was meant to travel.
During our stay at the NICU, it just so happened that Ann and Dan Flood were there getting pictures during the hanging of the plaque in the lobby, and we just so happened to be heading to the cafeteria and we got to Meet them! I will still in a wheelchair at that point, as there was no way I could walk the distance to the cafeteria. The first time I met Ann, I felt so... insignificant. I was steal dealing with a lot of different emotions from the delivery, including guilt. But in the few moments of talking to Ann for the first time, I realized this woman was not only stronger than anyone I had ever met, but her inspiration, and determination literally beamed out of her eyes. This woman had a heart made of pure love, and she instantly lifted my spirit. That day, Ann got to meet Liam for the first time. This was special, since most of our family had not even had this opportunity yet. I felt so honored in that moment, when she looked at my son and together we acknowledged that her pain, love, and determination had finally paid off. I know in my heart nothing could ever take away the pain from losing her precious angel, but I felt in some small way that this bittersweet moment made her heart sing!
Since that first day, we have participated in many foundation events, including the Butterfly Ball, Lauren's Hope 5K, annual golf outing, and "wings for hope." We have enjoyed sharing the joy of our little miracle with all those involved, as we are so grateful for all of their efforts!
Here is a clip from Lehigh Valley's annual report, featuring the Lauren's Hope Foundation and Liam!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WGRFwAubI_I
Another article about this amazing foundation!
http://www.mdnews.com/news/2012_03/05782_marapr2012_laurenshope.aspx
And Finally here is the Foundation's website!
http://www.laurenshopefoundation.com/
No comments:
Post a Comment