MARCH OF DIMES
This year our friends, The Belnaps, are the Ambassador Family for the Utah March of Dimes. Ashlie and Brandon had a very complicated triplet pregnancy that really tested their bodies and spirits.
This is the article from the Deseret News about their story-
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Ashlie and Brandon Belnap were almost halfway through their second pregnancy, expecting triplets this time, when doctors told them the girl baby had a fatal condition and was unlikely to survive to birth.
Four weeks later, tiny Zoie died in the womb and a few days after that, Ashlie went into labor, "with no turning back." The surviving triplets, Liam and Aiden, were born at only 24 weeks gestation, checking in at a very small 1 pound 4 ounces, and 1 pound 6 ounces, respectively. They were each a mere 12 inches long.
This year, the West Jordan family of five, including Liam and Aiden, now 4, and Kaleb, 6, is serving as the Utah March of Dimes Ambassador Family, helping to spread the word about birth defects and prematurity and ways to keep baby healthy. As they watch their boys play and see how far they've come, it seems nothing short of remarkable, Ashlie says.
"They're somewhat delayed, but they are pretty amazing. I've seen babies born at 25 or 26 weeks (gestation) who are worse off. Liam has a paralyzed vocal cord and sounds kind of funny. Aiden has mild cerebral palsy, but he had a really rough go at birth," including a couple of brain hemorrhages, a pneumothorax, seven chest tubes and a rare congenital eye disease that left him blind in his left eye. And they both had some of the common preemie conditions, she says, including a heart problem called patent ductus arteriosus that had to be repaired, apnea, feeding tubes, blood transfusions, ventilators and infections, among others. Aiden was in the newborn intensive care for 133 days, Liam stayed nearly a week longer.
Even when they were well enough to go home, the prognosis was less than rosy. "We were given a 90 percent disability rate for both. But they're doing fabulous."
They are both in preschool and love riding the bus twice a week — "the best thing ever." They have a few delays in learning and speech, but they look and act like typical 4-year-olds, she says — "loving and funny and fun. They do argue, though."
The entire family gives thanks in many ways, including making the annual walk for the March of Dimes, to raise money for research to prevent prematurity and birth defects and to develop treatments. The long year after they lost Zoie and faced myriad challenges with the boys, they participated in the walk for the first time. Now they're regulars.
"We walk for love, life and the desire that every baby will be born healthy," Ashlie says.
Of the two boy, Liam is the physical, outgoing child, who loves to jump and climb and chase his older brother. Aiden prefers to sit back and play with his cars and trains. He's a little more self-entertaining; Liam craves being with other kids.
The March for Babies will be held at Wheeler Farm in Salt Lake City on Saturday, April 26. Registration begins at 9 a.m. and the walk starts an hour later. Walks will also be held in Logan, Layton and Provo and you can get more information by calling 801-746-5540 or going online to www.marchofdimes.com/utah.
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Donations can only be taken until the 22nd (tomorrow), but people are encouraged to attend the walk on Saturday at Wheeler Farm. This is a great event to support research of premature births and to understand birth defects so treatments can be found.
We love you Belnaps!!
2 comments:
What an incredible story. Thanks for sharing! Am I going to see you Wednesday? Shutthefrontdoor!
That is amazing! Thanks for sharing. I appreciate your sweetness to want to get others involved. I adore you and I adore the Belnaps and their trials that make you appreciate the ones you have are nothing in comparison. My love and prayers are with them and I wish we could be there to walk!
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