Tyler's Stocking Fundraiser

In 2019 when my pre-natal bloodwork revealed Kell antibodies and my OBGYN couldn't offer much information, I was left in a mental tailspin. I scoured the internet while I awaited my first appointment with a Maternal Fetal Medicine (MFM) specialist and the search results were meager. I found it hard to make sense of half the stuff I found buried in clinical research abstracts and the prognosis I was piecing together felt bleak. I had set out to find hope and medical advice from a leading health organization but came up short. Instead, it was a blog post that helped me dig out from under the weight of my fear. The author's story was one of fear, uncertainty, loss, grief, but also proof that my baby still had a fighting chance and hope, which I desperately needed. I emailed the author and she welcomed me into a support group that became an invaluable lifeline as I navigated my alloimmunized pregancy. 

When Tyler's MCA scans at 32 weeks became cause for concern, my MFM practice refused to perform an IUT and encouraged me to delay delivery until the following week because "the Non-stress Tests (NSTs) looked good". The support group urged me to advocate for immediate delivery because severely anemic babies can look "good" on NSTs and still quickly decline from severe anemia. Challenging the MFM team was not easy but thankfully we did because the support group was right. Tyler's post-birth bloodwork revealed that he was significantly more anemic than they expected and he required an immediate blood transfusion. Had we waited to deliver, Tyler could have suffered tremendously, faced lifelong effects, or worse. I am forever grateful for the mothers in that support group who helped protect my baby and my story is just one of many. That support group and many other Allo Hope Foundation initiatives continue to be a lifeline for women around the world.

Turning Fear into Hope for Moms & Babies Around the World

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 Tyler'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 Tyler'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 Tyler 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