I am beyond grateful that we live in a world where it is possible for a 26-week old baby boy weighing 24 ounces at birth to become a 36-lb wild and crazy curly-haired kid who loves books, has never met a stranger, adores preschool, and has a heart bigger and brighter than the sun. It’s the stuff miracles are made of.

And it’s possible because incredible strides have been made in the research and application of neonatal medicine.

The sobering reality is that 15 million babies are born too soon every year. And premature birth kills one baby every 30 seconds.

Please consider helping. Because awareness is wonderful, but action is even better.

What can you do? I made a list last year that bears a re-share:

• Donate to the Ronald McDonald House of Akron, where out-of-town families with children in the NICU can stay for extended periods of time for a minimal fee: http://bit.ly/1xFnM2w
• Donate toiletries, food, or supplies to the Reinberger Family Center at Akron Children’s Hospital, where families are given a place to shower, rest, and recharge. This was also the place that provided me a pump room, snacks, and a quiet place to pray for eight months: http://bit.ly/1BY5wHW
• Donate to the March of Dimes so that research can be continued to prevent premature births: http://bit.ly/1GVtmHw
• Send a care package to a family in any NICU in the US via Graham’s Foundation: http://bit.ly/1PMNfmK
• Donate your extra breastmilk to the Mother’s Milk Bank of Ohio (breastmilk is one of the biggest factors in preventing NEC, the most common cause of gastrointestinal-related morbidity and mortality in NICU): http://bit.ly/1OdZfMl

Thank you. ❤ We are blessed, so blessed, that this tiny mighty child is ours. We don’t take a second for granted.

<3 Andrea