Help us keep families like Destiny’s connected.
Having a baby should be the most joyous time in a parent’s life, filled with happiness, excitement, and hope for the future. But for families whose babies are in the Neonatal ICU, the experience is very different.
When Destiny went in for a routine prenatal check-up, the last thing she expected to hear was that she was already in labor and her and her baby’s lives were in danger—she needed a C-section and she needed it now. Her daughter, Kalahni, was born beautiful, but extremely fragile. She was in respiratory distress and was quickly admitted to the NICU.
Destiny felt overwhelmed—not only by the fear and emotions surrounding her daughter’s early arrival, but also by the severe postpartum anxiety and depression she was battling. On top of it all, just one day after Destiny was discharged, her phone service was shut off, leaving her disconnected from Kalahni and her doctors and with a huge bill she wasn’t prepared to pay.
“When I saw the bill I was at a loss,” Destiny said
Fortunately, her social workers and care team at the hospital were by her side, determined to help. They provided emotional support throughout her early delivery and recovery, and when Destiny shared her fear of being disconnected with the NICU team because of her phone issue, they connected her with Rocky Mountain Children’s Health Foundation (RMCHF). The Foundation stepped in to cover the phone bill, restoring her service at a critical time when she really needed it most.
“For any parent with a baby in the NICU, being able to communicate with the doctors is essential, ” Destiny said. “Receiving this financial support lifted a huge weight off my shoulders. We were able to focus on the most important thing—getting our daughter better and bringing her home.”
For families like Destiny’s, the little things that can be taken for granted often make the biggest impact in staying connected during their most challenging moments. Having access to essential resources—like communication, gas for hospital visits, or groceries—can make a world of difference during a medical crisis.
No family should have to drive back and forth to a hospital to visit their new baby or rely on phone calls with a doctor for updates, when all they want is to be holding their baby in their arms. But unfortunately, that’s the reality for so many families. You can help us support more NICU families like Destiny’s with essential resources that give them the opportunity to focus on their baby’s care, not financial stress.
