NEC SocietyCategory: NEC family stories
What Is It like to Be Born Too Soon?
Written by Jennifer Canvasser, MSWFounder and Director of the NEC Society Despite 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 the…
Read MoreOnce My Child, Always My Child
October is Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month. Written by Jennifer Canvasser, Founder and Executive 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….
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 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 MoreHonoring Baby Makenna by Supporting the 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.
Read MoreHonoring My Son by Working to Reduce the Burden of NEC
Written by Guy’s mother, Joanne Ferguson, contributor to the Special Interest Group (SIGNEC) in the United Kingdom This picture of my son, Guy, is used to raise awareness of what is possibly the most complex condition that affects premature babies….
Read MoreRaising Awareness in Honor of Our Son
Written by Morrison and Dwight’s mother, Heather Driscoll After struggling with infertility for two years and spending thousands of dollars, we were finally pregnant. With twins. After all that pain and suffering, I smiled at the thought of being repaid with…
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