Caelum's Stocking Fundraiser

Turning Fear into Hope for Moms & Babies Around the World

I never imagined something as invisible as antibodies could change my pregnancies, my birth plans, or my babies’ lives. But they did. My journey has been shaped by fear, loss, and a strength I didn’t know existed.

During my 2nd pregnancy, I bled early and went to 3 providers asking if I needed to do anything because of my blood type. Every single one told me no. My antibody screen was negative at 6 weeks, so I let myself believe everything was okay. But at 28 weeks, everything shifted—I had become sensitized to anti-D. My pregnancy instantly became high-risk. Plans changed. My sense of safety changed. Somehow, by grace, that baby was not affected.

My 3rd pregnancy ended in miscarriage before 5 weeks. Even though it was early, it still added another layer of fear and uncertainty to everything that came after.

When I became pregnant again, I entered the journey with equal parts hope and fear. Monitoring started early and quickly became more intense. First, monthly bloodwork. Then, as my antibody levels rose, we moved to labs every 2 weeks. By the 3rd trimester, we were going in multiple times a week for NSTs, BPPs, and constant checks. Anti-D reached critical levels, and Anti-C began appearing too. Ultrasounds kept saying “baby looks perfect,” but my bloodwork constantly told another story.

In the 3rd trimester, a new MFM doctor sat with us and explained that if I had received Rhogam when I bled in my 2nd pregnancy, so much of this might have been prevented. He also told me I should have already delivered weeks earlier, and scheduled delivery right away. Hearing how close we had come to missing the safest window for our baby was devastating.

Caelum was born in the early morning hours, and within 4 hours of his birth I noticed the yellowing in his skin. My heart sank. I felt shattered — as if my antibodies were trying to take him from me. I called the nurse immediately and told her he needed treatment. From that moment, everything became a whirlwind—phototherapy lights, nonstop blood draws, and the exhausting cycle of feeding, supplementing, and rushing him back under the lights. Every few hours for 2 days straight, nurses pricked his tiny heels while I tried to help his little body fight what my antibodies were doing to him.

Just when things began to look better, everything changed again. A repeat blood test showed his hematocrit had dropped dangerously. The only way to save him was a blood transfusion. Caelum was taken to the NICU, hooked to monitors and IVs, and prepared for IVIG and the transfusion. Seeing my newborn surrounded by tubes, unable to hold him or comfort him, was a heartbreak I can’t describe.

Slowly, things began to improve. The lights came off. The IV was removed. He passed his final tests. And after a long, emotional week in the hospital, we finally took our baby home.

Caelum is still fighting anemia and has endured more blood work in his short life than most adults, but he is here. He is strong. He is our miracle.

This experience changed me. It opened my eyes to how many families walk into pregnancy unaware of the risks of HDFN, and how many babies suffer because no one told their parents what signs to watch for or what care to insist on. It showed me how quickly a “normal” pregnancy can become terrifying.

This is why I’m sharing our story. This is why I’m asking for your help.

Every year, mothers and babies around the world face a rare, life threatening condition called HDFN; when a mother’s blood creates antibodies that attack her baby’s red blood cells. With the right care, babies survive HDFN and thrive. Without it, the outcomes can be devastating.

That’s where the Allo Hope Foundation (AHF) comes in. AHF provides education, specialist referrals, global access initiatives, and research so that mothers and babies receive the lifesaving care and support they need during their HDFN diagnosis.

This Giving Tuesday and throughout the Holiday season, we are raising money for AHF to honor Caelum's battle with HDFN and to help protect other babies from preventable harm. Please join me in sharing hope with those who need it most by contributing to Caelum's Stocking Fundraiser.

Your donation today helps:

• 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 Caelum 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