Honor the Bretz Twins' 10th Birthday: Make Miracles Happen at the LVHN NICU
Jennifer and Kevin Bretz have multiple reasons to be grateful. Their twins Zachary and Kylie were born at 25 weeks and had a combined weight of less than 3 pounds. Their lungs were not yet developed, so doctors had to insert tubes to help them breathe, among other life saving measures taken at Lehigh Valley Hospital. It took Kylie 72 days to make it out of the hospital. For Zachary, it took 90 days to bring him home – and he still required an oxygen machine until he was 7 months old.
The care from the neonatologists and NICU nurses was tremendous. It was a painful experience to see the twins every day through all of the trials and tribulations, but we were kept informed and active in decision making.
Jennifer felt so impassioned after the life saving treatment her babies received that she collaborated with the hospital to form a Patient and Family Centered Care Board for the NICU with the aim of supporting other families experiencing the same challenges.
Today, the 10-year-old twins are thriving. Their sparkling blue eyes follow you around the room, and their smiles beckon you to laugh as soon as you see them. They are star athletes at softball, baseball, and basketball and thriving socially and academically.
It was a heart-wrenching experience that we wouldn’t wish on anyone. But having been through it, we know that these little babies are stronger. They were stronger at 3 months old than some adults will ever be in their lifetime. With what they’ve been through, they can achieve anything.
We hope that you will join us in supporting the NICU at Lehigh Valley Hospital – Cedar Crest, as a way to honor Zachary and Kylie on their 10th birthday. We couldn’t think of a better way to say thank you to the team that provided excellent care during their stay during a very challenging time in our family’s life.
Donations will support the training necessary for a Small Baby Program, which is dedicated to the care of babies born at less than 28 weeks. This program helps to improve outcomes for extremely premature babies and also shortens their hospital stays.
No amount is too small and we thank you from the bottom of our hearts.
LVHN News Announcement: Twins Born Weighing Less Than 3 Pounds Combined Return to Lehigh Valley Reilly Children’s Hospital NICU to Celebrate 10th Birthday (lvhn.org)
