Tuesday, April 14, 2009

March for Babies

Aaron in March 2009, mowing the lawn!


Aaron in March 2008 wearing his cooling cap, on the ventilator


As I referenced in earlier blogs, we feel compelled to do something to give back for the miracle we have been blessed with. This year, we are going to walk in the March for Babies but shunt the money to UM for research on cooling cap. Here is the flyer I sent out to promote our walk:


The birth of a child is always a miracle, but some children enter the world with greater challenges than others. During labor with my second son, my uterus ruptured and our son was found outside of my uterus in my abdomen during an emergency C-section. Many babies don’t survive this horrible birth complication. Aaron was born lifeless on March 6, 2008, resuscitated and immediately cooled with ice packs awaiting trasnfer to Mott Children’s Hospital. He suffered significant lack of oxygen and his future was very uncertain. As a pediatrician, I feared the worst. He was treated with a new cooling technology and anti-seizure meds to minimize brain injury. Today, Aaron is a wonderful, healthy toddler! We are thrilled with his progress and firmly believe his life would be much different today without the care he received.

We are walking on April 26 to honor Aaron and the doctors at St Joseph Mercy Hospital and C. S. Mott Children's Hospital who saved his life. The funds we raise will go toward cool cap technology and the research that will be so crucial in saving other babies.

The cooling of an infant's brain decreases both death and the burden of disability in survivors, but there is still room for improvement. Researchers believe that it's probably not the mode of cooling that matters (i.e. head vs. whole body), as much as just getting them cooled. Doctors at Mott are presently working in the lab on combination therapy,
using cooling techniques along with FDA-approved drugs. In clinics, doctors are using technology to determine how to enhance the ability to predict an outcome while in the cooling phase.

The money we raise on this walk will help these doctors continue their research into the neurological problems of infants. We hope to spare more children like Aaron and their families heartbreaking disability and pain. Thank you for your participation and your donation.


Lauren Gold and Matthew Jane
Here is the form, if you need it in document form, you can email me-
Please write Aaron's name on your document.
I want to make a difference for the
University of Michigan Health System with a gift to "Cool Cap Technology"
at the C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital and Women's Hospital.”

Name (please print) ________________________________________________
Street Address ____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
City ______________________ State ______ Zip _______________________
Phone _____________________ e-mail _______________________________


Enclosed is my gift in the amount of: $______________
□ Check enclosed payable to the University of Michigan
□ Please charge my gift to:
□ Master Card □ Visa □ Discover □ AMEX
______________________________________________________________
Card Number
_____________ ____________________________________________
Expiration Date Signature
OR

Please accept my pledge in the amount of: $___________
Initial Payment enclosed (optional): $___________
Balance: $___________
I subscribe to pay the balance:
□ Monthly □ Quarterly □ Semi-Annually □Annually
over a period of _______ years beginning ________ (month) ________ (year)
or as follows _____________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
Signature (required for all pledges): ___________________________________

For more information, you may contact the
Office of Medical Development at 734-998-7702 or 800-468-3482
All gifts and pledges will be acknowledged for your records.
All gifts to the University of Michigan are tax deductible as provided by law.
For your convenience, pledge payment reminders will be sent to you according to
the payment schedule you have chosen.
(UM account _____________)

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