Owen's Stocking Fundraiser

This will be our 7th year without our sweet Owen and it does not get easier! This year we will be hosting another stocking fundraiser in Owen's honor benefitting the Allo Hope Foundation(@allohopefoundation).

The Allo Hope Foundation supports individuals affected by red blood cell alloimmunization and Hemolytic Disease of the Fetus and Newborn (HDFN) by providing resources, education, and advocacy. Their work includes offering patient support through online groups and a podcast, providing educational materials and tools for pregnancy and infant care, promoting research, and assisting with financial and logistical burdens. 

Owen had Hemolytic disease of the fetus newborn(HDFN) and it is a temporary and treatable disease but we are still losing babies and it is completely devastating. HDFN is a condition of incompatibility between the mother and baby’s blood types. The mother’s body creates antibodies that attack her baby’s red blood cells. Once you gain antibodies it cannot be reversed, you have them for life and usually every subsequent pregnancy requires more intervention. Unfortunately, this is what happened during my pregnancy with Owen. 

Owen's younger sisters Lillian and Hannah also had HDFN. They actually had a much more severe case of the disease and the difference in their outcomes was proper and timely management of the disease. It is crucial that these babies get appropriate care to avoid catastrophic outcomes. 

Lillian and Hannah are here because The Allo Hope Foundation helped us connect with physicians with expertise in the subject matter and resources to help me get through their pregnancies. Combined the girls needed many appointments, IVIG infusions, intrauterine blood transfusion procedures, post blood transfusions, NICU stay and months in and out of the hospital. We’re blessed that they received appropriate care and in a timely manner. They have no lasting effects and are completely healthy and cured from the disease as are many babies who are properly managed during pregnancy. Unfortunately, proper management of the disease was not the case for Owen and has been for many others and I want that to change. 

Your donation will:

• Put a support booklet in the hands of a newly diagnosed mother so she can advocate for her baby

• Fund a blood-type test or Rh immunoglobulin dose for a mother in a low resource country.

• Connect a family with a maternal–fetal specialist experienced in HDFN.

• Advance research and education to prevent stillbirths and infant deaths caused by alloimmunization and HDFN.

Thank you for helping us honor Owen and for standing with families facing HDFN around the world. Your generosity brings education, treatment, and hope to those who need it most.

From our family to yours, we wish you a beautiful and peaceful holiday season.

Learn more about The Allo Hope Foundation here: https://allohopefoundation.org

Owen

Lillian

Lillian

Hannah