As many of you know, I was born at 26 weeks 3 days gestational age and spent 103 days in the hospital between the NICU and the stepdown nursery the ICC. 

I needed ventilators to help me breathe due to my sudden and premature birth. At two days old, I had a pneumothorax and chest tube. Once I got stronger, they moved me to a CPAP machine to help me breathe and eventually high and low flow nasal cannulas. In addition to getting bigger and strong enough to go home, I was treated for ROP and apnea of prematurity leading to me dropping my oxygen saturation levels and my heart rate. I was fed using a feeding tube for weeks until I was strong enough to start nursing and bottle feeding. 

I am truly grateful to the neonatologists and nurses who took such good care of me during my long stay in the hospital and want to give back by doing this walk and donating to the Neonatal Unit at Childrens. Please consider supporting me and know that every dollar helps! 

I would like to give a special shout out to my primary nurses Kristen P., Katie W., Barb M., and Bridget in the NICU and Barb B in ICC. Thanks for being so amazing!