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Signature Chefs Auction, Palm Beach

When we found out we were expecting twins, there were complications from the beginning.  I was in the hospital at 12 weeks due to excessive bleeding.  At the 16 week anatomy scan, we found out that one of the twins was missing an artery in her umbilical cord which caused a disruption in her growth.  At twenty-two weeks I was placed on bed rest for the duration of the pregnancy and the risks of premature birth were outlined for us.  This was an extremely scary time.  At 31 weeks, my water broke and we tried to hold off on delivering the twins.  I was administered 1 out of 4 steroid shots to develop the lungs but unfortunately, the babies went into distress my first night in the hospital and I had an emergency C-section.  When I finally woke up from the anesthesia, I found out I had delivered a twin boy and girl and that both were in the NICU.  Our daughter Sydney was born at 2 lbs. 11 oz. luckily with minimal problems.  She suffered from some minor kidney issues, feeding issues, jaundice and premature retinas, but was breathing on her own.  My son Dylan had more severe issues.  He was born at 3 lbs. 9 oz. and immediately needed a blood transfusion.  He also suffered from a brain hemorrhage, 2 pneumothoraxes (holes in his lungs), was placed on oxygen and a ventilator. 

While we were able to hold Sydney at first, Dylan remained hooked up to oxygen and on a ventilator and we were unable to hold him for over a week.  Luckily we had the support of our parents and friends who came with me every day to the NICU, and the wonderful support of the doctors and nurses.  Sydney and Dylan continued to grow and get stronger every day in the NICU.  After 89 days they were able to come home from the hospital.  Today they are thriving juniors in High School.  They have worked so hard and come so far.  We are grateful for all the care and support we received and that is why our support of the March of Dimes is so important to us. Please support the mission of the March of Dimes for Strong Moms and Healthy Babies.

Sincerely,
Ben & Melissa Hoffman


 

We are honored to be apart of this amazing event for a very important cause. The March of Dimes has become an organization that is close to our hearts. The research and nonstop efforts of the March of Dimes has helped countless families have healthy pregnancy and birth outcomes.  We are included in that large number. We are forever grateful for the research conducted by this organization that allowed us to have a healthy birth of a premature child. Our son was born at 36 weeks, but because of the scientific developments being done at the March of Dimes Prematurity Research Centers across the Country, he didn't have to spend any time in the NICU.  We were so fortunate to be able to bring our son home from the hospital with us. 

Sadly, this is not the case for everyone.  In an average week is Florida approximately 439 babies are born preterm.  Prematurity is the leading cause of newborn death and disability among infants, including developmental delays, chronic respiratory problems, and vision and hearing impairment. In addition to the health consequences of preterm birth, the emotional and economic impact of preterm birth on families is too high. We must end this epidemic. 

By raising money for the March of Dimes we hope to make an impact that will eventually end prematurity, birth defects, and infant mortality. We are overwhlemed by the time, energy, and money that has been poured into this event by the staff, donors, volunteers, and the chefs.  We want to thank everyone for their generosity, hard work and dedication.  We look forward to the sucess of this wonderful and delicious event.

Sincerely,  Jerry & Jade Haffey