NEC SocietyCategory: NEC family stories
A Story of Hope
Written by Dr. Ana Ruzic Do, a pediatric surgeon at the University of Kentucky For anyone who cared for Connor and his family during his 6-month NICU stay, he is the very definition of hope. Prior to meeting Connor and…
Read MoreWhat Is It like to Be Born Too Soon?
Written by Jennifer Canvasser, MSWFounder and Director of the NEC Society Despite me being healthy and doing everything “right,” my twins were born at 27 weeks gestation, about 90 days before their due date. I didn’t even make it into…
Read MoreOnce My Child, Always My Child
October is Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month. Written by Jennifer Canvasser, Founder and Director of the NEC Society “How many kids do you have?” “Are they your only two?” “Do you have other children?” These are easy questions. I…
Read MoreLearning to Live After Loss
Melissa Dlugolecki and Jennifer Canvasser share a love for running, healthy lifestyles, and green smoothies. But, unfortunately, that’s not what brought them together. Melissa and Jennifer each lost a child to necrotizing enterocolitis, and their children, Leyden and Micah, brought…
Read More9 Things You Need to Know About Necrotizing Enterocolitis
Written by Jennifer Canvasser, founder and director of the NEC Society When my son Micah was six weeks old, I thought he had overcome his fiercest battles that are common to babies born at 27 weeks gestation. He had doubled…
Read MoreWorking Through Infertility, NEC, and Child Loss as an L&D Nurse
Written by Julie Cavellini, Labor & Delivery nurse and mother of Brooks and Carys Cossey After struggling with infertility for years, I was ecstatic to finally be pregnant with my son, Brooks. After three rounds of IVF, I was willing to do…
Read MoreMebane Family Honors Daughter Makenna with Generous Donation to NEC Society
Amena and Brandon Mebane welcomed their daughter Makenna to the world on November 12, 2018. Makenna was born at 35 weeks gestation with a genetic condition and heart defect. When Makenna was just eight days old, she developed necrotizing enterocolitis…
Read MoreFrom Three to One: Giving Birth to Triplets and Losing Two to NEC
Written by, Fannie, the mother of Keaton, Dorian and Aiden. I always wanted twins. I was 38 years old, and had just married the love of my life. I left my home and my whole life in France – my…
Read MoreThe Story Behind the Tree of Courage Painting
By Leslie Napolitano, artist of the Tree of Courage, whose grandson died from NEC My grandson Micah developed necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) when he was nearly six weeks old, after being born just shy of 28 weeks gestation. Like many babies…
Read MoreBecoming an Advocate for My Son
Mom Heather works tirelessly to get her son the care he needs.
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