2020 was certainly a year like no other, but for our family, it was both the best and worst year of our lives. At the beginning of 2020, like most expecting first time parents, we were excited to welcome our new baby boy into the family during the summer. Everything seemed perfect- both mom and baby were healthy, and the pregnancy was totally normal. Then COVID hit and everything changed. Our happiness turned to worry. What if mom got sick? What if baby got sick, too? What if Dad couldn't work because of the shutdown?

Then, suddenly, all our COVID worries were knocked aside for an even bigger worry. Mom Michelle had developed preeclampsia, a blood pressure disorder that develops during pregnancy, causing Michelle's blood pressure to rise to unsafe levels. 2 months before he was supposed to arrive, baby Michael (affectionately called Mikey) was born at 31 weeks 5 days. At 2lbs 12oz, he was small and needed help to grow big and strong. Luckily, the nurses, doctors, and staff at Advocate Good Samaritan Hospital took wonderful care of him in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. All in all, Mikey was relatively healthy for being born so small and so early, but he still faced many hurdles. He had congenital heart disorders, feeding struggles, and lots of events and episodes to overcome. But from day one, he was a champion.

The theme of this fundraiser is A Tiny Life Changed My World. We are raising funds for Share Perinatal Support Services, which is a charitable fund that directly supports families at Good Samaritan Hospital who are experiencing any type of perinatal crisis, including having a high-risk pregnancy, baby in the NICU, or experiencing a miscarriage, stillbirth, or infant death. Share is involved in many aspects of the Good Sam NICU and Birth Center, and is entirely philanthropically funded. Notably, in our NICU Share sponsors our Beads of Courage program, actively supports the NICU reunion, provides financial assistance for specific needs NICU families may have, and facilitates social and emotional support for families during their stay.

Without the support of the amazing NICU staff at Advocate Good Samaritan Hospital, I don’t know where we would be today. Every year, we attend the NICU reunion and get to see them all again. They were truly our lifeline during our NICU stay and continue to be a source of support and a sense of solidarity. We hope you will join us in supporting other families in our area affected by unexpected NICU stays.