Drew Rogers

I couldn’t look away. That was my minutes-old child they were holding and he was not breathing well.

It was shocking to us that we found ourselves in the NICU when Warren was born. We were told the previous week by Jordan’s OB that we had reached the “all clear” point, 36 weeks. Yet a week later, when Jordan was induced early, owing to symptoms suggesting preeclampsia, Warren was grunting.

He was quickly whisked to the NICU, while I followed behind. Jordan could not. I mean, she just pushed this kid out! She wasn’t in a state to move easily. So it was up to me to make sure our son was okay.

The doctors in the NICU were professional and empathetic. They explained what surfactant was, how it was administered, and how it would help my baby boy. They explained he must be intubated to administer two doses which would help develop his early-term lungs. They told me I could look away.

But how could I. I was there to ensure my baby was safe because his mother could not be. I watched every second of the treatment.

The March of Dimes was not far behind. They brought a sense of normalcy to an abnormal place. They were a godsend. We later found out they are in large part responsible for surfactant treatments being developed for use in the NICU. Without the March of Dimes, who knows if Warren would’ve gotten the treatment he needed.

Now, Warren is a healthy toddler, and I find it hard to catch my breath when chasing him around. Jordan and I are happy to support the March of Dimes to repay them in some small way for what they gave to us in a moment of tremendous distress.

Please consider making a donation to the March of Dimes in the link below to Team WMR (Warren Marshall Rogers) as we travel to the March for Babies walk in St. Louis on May 31, and stay tuned for more exciting news to come.