Providing Assistance to NICU Parents Nationwide

Addilynd was born at 36 weeks gestation on 4/29/16. She was born VACTERL meaning she had birth defects in three separate body systems. In her case her heart, kidney, and GI tract. We did not know this until her arrival despite being followed by maternal fetal medicine her entire pregnancy so were caught completely off guard. As an active duty military family stationed in a small town in Alabama at the time, she was life flighted 4 hours away shortly after being born to Children's of Alabama in Birmingham. Caiden's Hope was instrumental in those very trying months while we stayed 4 hours from home to be with our newborn during her NICU stay. They provided funds to cover our hotel until we got in to the Ronald McDonald House as well as gift cards to help offset food expenses for our entire family. They relieved a huge financial burden so we could focus on what was truly important...getting our daughter well and stable enough to come home. She underwent surgery at 4 days old with her mom, dad and two older brothers present for her surgery but also the remainder of her recovery. That was something very important to us...to keep our family together. The support Caiden's Hope showed us was not only monetary...they knew the toll personally of having a newborn in the NICU which really provided us with a lot of support and compassion that was truly invaluable...even to this day.

— A NICU Mom