Brady John Schmitz was born prematurely at 26w5d on January 15th. He weighed 1 lb. 1 oz. and was 11 inches long, in other words, total perfection! His parents (Jeff and Becca), family, friends, and hospital staff were amazed by his energy, feistiness, and sweetness. His parents weren't allowed to hold him, but made sure to give him plenty of "hand hugs" and helped with his cares (diaper changes, temperature readings, etc.) as much as possible. He needed lots of help - a ventilator for breathing, and lots of IVs and lines to get him the nutrition and medications he needed. Though Brady was given great odds at birth (a 95% of making it), he developed an infection on January 28th and passed away early on the 29th. His parents, family, and friends love him so much and miss him every second of every day!
His early delivery was necessitated by the fact that his mom, Becca, developed severe pre-eclampsia and HELLP Syndrome. Doctors don't know much about these conditions and why they happen - so research is needed.
Right now, babies need all the help they can get. Premature birth affects about 380,000 babies here in the United States. Please make a secure donation to help us reach our goal. Together we can help the March of Dimes fight prematurity so more babies can get the strongest start possible. We hope that by raising money for the March of Dimes, we can prevent outcomes like ours from happening to other families. Thank you for your support!
March of Dimes is dedicated to bringing people together to tackle America's maternal and infant health crisis—one person, one community, and one step at a time. More than a series of walks, March for Babies is an annual tradition that supports moms and babies every day, every step of the way.
March for Babies connects friends, families, and coworkers to improve the health of families nationwide. Together with March of Dimes, each step forward brings us closer to a healthy future for all.
Thank you for your support!
