$2,820.00

When Madeleine and Hannah were born at 28 weeks and admitted to the NICU at Golisano in 2015 (following 5 weeks of bedrest at Strong for mom), nothing could have prepared us not only for the NICU rollercoaster that followed, but also for how that hospital admission was the beginning of the lifelong impact Golisano Children's Hospital would have on our family. The doctors and nurses never hesitated to answer our questions or involve us in the girls' care, or comfort us during the most stressful days (such as when your one month old tiny baby undergoes surgery to close her PDA). While nothing can prepare you to become the parent of a preemie (let alone 2), the care all of us received far exceeded our expectations and was an immense comfort to us, as concerned new parents.

Four years later, we were introduced to another new department, cardiology, so that Hannah could undergo a procedure to close her PDA. Yet again, the doctors, nursing staff, and especially Child Life showed such incredible empathy for our very shy, anxious little girl. They all left such a lasting impact on her - she talked about everything her Child Life Specialist did for her for months afterward! 

Fast forward to Spring Break of 2023, Dad took Hannah to the ED at Strong for abdominal pain that turned out to be cancer - hepatoblastoma. While that rocked our world, our oncology team was a constant presence throughout, providing so much support and comfort as we navigated her diagnosis. Dr. Farris and his team went above and beyond to ensure she got the tests and care she needed (even discharging us just in time to get to Columbus for the girls' belated birthday trip). Her surgical team totally rocked her tumor resection. And last, but certainly not least, our entire care team on 7N is incredible - they took such good care of Hannah, with so many of them stopping to to say hi, even when she wasn't assigned to them. We will be forever grateful to them for being with us during one of the most difficult periods of our lives.

While nothing we say or do will ever be able to fully express our gratitude to Strong and Golisano Children's Hospital, we hope that participating in events like these will help Strong be able to continue their legacy of providing amazing care to children and their families.

Support me by joining our team or clicking on my “Donate Now” button - we appreciate whatever support you can give!