We would like to start by
saying thank you to our family and friends and to all of you for being here
this evening. But a very special thank you to the Capper Foundation for
allowing us to bring light to Ethan’s journey.
When Chris and I found out we were pregnant in 2010, we were ecstatic. We began talking about and planning for first steps, hearing mama and dada, future play dates and soccer games, preschool and beyond. The financial advisor in Chris had us starting a college 529 plan for any future children 3 years before Ethan was even a thought… we planned for our family’s future!
What we never planned was leaving the hospital without our child, meeting with neonatologists, hematologists, neurologists (really, just any doctor that ends in “ist”), sleep depriving a four month old for an EEG (or having 14 in four months for that matter! And many more since). We didn’t plan for twice a day anti-seizure medications or the world of pediatric therapy. We are extremely lucky to have insurance coverage, but this new world can be overwhelming even for the most solid planners; overwhelming emotionally, physically and financially. Unfortunately, our scenario is not unique. Most don’t start planning and saving for any medical incidents for their children before they are born.
Your support tonight will continue to allow children, adolescents and adults the opportunity to receive life changing therapies that will help them to reach their full potential.
So how is Ethan doing? He is incredible. When we were asked to share Ethan’s journey back in November we had set one goal. With Kim’s help, we wanted him to be walking independently. As you can see in the video, he succeeded! He prefers to be standing over sitting, walking over crawling and jabbering non-stop as he goes. While I heard dada at the age appropriate milestone, Emily recently heard mama at 22 months for the first time and his vocabulary is taking off leaps and bounds. But the biggest update is the use of his right arm. Wilma, our occupational therapist recognized that Ethan has a sensory input problem in his right arm. He just didn’t realize his arm was there for use, and therefore it just hang to his side. With the help of lots of kinesiotape, restricting use of his left hand, many sensory input activities and weight bearing games, Ethan blows kisses and gives high fives with his right hand and has recently started weight bearing on all fours. He is purposefully using his right arm and hand.
We have a long way to go, but Ethan has come a long way in 14 months since we started working with the Capper Foundation.
To describe Ethan journey in one sentence, it would be, “The NICU SAVED Ethan’s life and we can’t say thank you enough. But Capper has GIVEN him life. By GIVING him life, I mean a quality of life.”
Tonight, consider being a hero and help give life to other children like Ethan. Thank you for being here and sharing with us in Ethan’s journey.
When Chris and I found out we were pregnant in 2010, we were ecstatic. We began talking about and planning for first steps, hearing mama and dada, future play dates and soccer games, preschool and beyond. The financial advisor in Chris had us starting a college 529 plan for any future children 3 years before Ethan was even a thought… we planned for our family’s future!
What we never planned was leaving the hospital without our child, meeting with neonatologists, hematologists, neurologists (really, just any doctor that ends in “ist”), sleep depriving a four month old for an EEG (or having 14 in four months for that matter! And many more since). We didn’t plan for twice a day anti-seizure medications or the world of pediatric therapy. We are extremely lucky to have insurance coverage, but this new world can be overwhelming even for the most solid planners; overwhelming emotionally, physically and financially. Unfortunately, our scenario is not unique. Most don’t start planning and saving for any medical incidents for their children before they are born.
Your support tonight will continue to allow children, adolescents and adults the opportunity to receive life changing therapies that will help them to reach their full potential.
So how is Ethan doing? He is incredible. When we were asked to share Ethan’s journey back in November we had set one goal. With Kim’s help, we wanted him to be walking independently. As you can see in the video, he succeeded! He prefers to be standing over sitting, walking over crawling and jabbering non-stop as he goes. While I heard dada at the age appropriate milestone, Emily recently heard mama at 22 months for the first time and his vocabulary is taking off leaps and bounds. But the biggest update is the use of his right arm. Wilma, our occupational therapist recognized that Ethan has a sensory input problem in his right arm. He just didn’t realize his arm was there for use, and therefore it just hang to his side. With the help of lots of kinesiotape, restricting use of his left hand, many sensory input activities and weight bearing games, Ethan blows kisses and gives high fives with his right hand and has recently started weight bearing on all fours. He is purposefully using his right arm and hand.
We have a long way to go, but Ethan has come a long way in 14 months since we started working with the Capper Foundation.
To describe Ethan journey in one sentence, it would be, “The NICU SAVED Ethan’s life and we can’t say thank you enough. But Capper has GIVEN him life. By GIVING him life, I mean a quality of life.”
Tonight, consider being a hero and help give life to other children like Ethan. Thank you for being here and sharing with us in Ethan’s journey.
