The Lemelin Family

God is so FAITHFUL! This story shows faith in God when the Dr’s gave us no hope. The Grace of God and modern technology is the reason my kids are alive today

    After waiting 8 years Kelli Lemelin was 3 months pregnant when she was diagnosed with placenta abruption. This is a condition where the placenta separates from the wall of the uterus to early. Doctors put Kelli on bed rest but 3 months later she started leaking Amniotic fluid. She was admitted to Baystate Medical Center where she was given medication to delay delivery to give her son’s lungs more time to develop. Unfortunately, treatment for Kelli’s premature labor was not very effective. Three days later Samuel Andrew was born at 25 weeks weighing only 1 lb. 7ounces and immediately placed in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). A NICU is for babies born too soon and/or needing special care after birth.

  The March of Dimes played a role in NICU being available and offering specialized medical equipment to care for premature babies like Samuel. Samuel was given a 3% chance of life and spent 145 days in the Baystate Medical Center’s NICU and 20 days in the NICU in Boston for throat surgery. After one of his surgeries for bilateral hernias, here at Baystate Medical, Samuel stopped breathing. Now we were now dealing with the fact that our son might suffer from brain damage from lack of oxygen and not breathing.

  Gabriel Seth was born with a rare blood disorder that destroyed the platelets in his blood in the womb. We are supposed to have around 350,000 platelets in your body from your bone marrow; he had only 2,600 (deadly). This only happens in 2% of the entire population and Baystate has not seen this in over 30years. After having several blood transfusions Gabriel had a full recovery and is well today thanks to the NICU at Baystate Medical Center. Gabriel is now 4yrs and Samuel is 8yrs old

  There is an event called ”March for Babies” it is a 5-mile walk to raise money for preventing Prematurity. 

 We are very grateful to the March of Dimes and for each person who contributes to this organization,  “Your support is crucial to help the March of Dimes better understand what causes Prematurity so that one day all babies can have a healthy start in life.”

   While the NICU assisted in saving Samuel’s life, we will live with the memories of being born premature for the rest of ours lives. With the March of Dimes leading the way, there will be a day when no parent will have to go through what we have gone through. All babies deserve a healthy start in life or as much help that is medically possible and your support can make a difference. Please help be part of this great fundraiser.

Thank you so much for all your support.

Ron, Kelli, Samuel & Gabriel Lemelin