Precious reason to march
By JILLIAN DUCHNOWSKI - jduchnowski@nwherald.com
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| The Brandlin family (from the left) Brooke 3, Joe, Hailey and Christine in their home. Brooke born prematurely, spent four months in the hospital and her parents say the March of Dimes supported them throughout those months. (Eddie Quinones photo) |
HUNTLEY – Behind Brooke Brandlin’s shy blue eyes, one of which is still a little weak, is a fighter who has seen the odds stacked against her more than once in her short life.
Doctors gave her about a 20 percent chance of surviving when her 1-pound, 5-ounce body was thrust into the world 15 weeks early.
A few weeks later, she still was small enough that her dad’s wedding ring slipped up her arm with room to spare.
Brooke spent her first four months at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago, where she underwent a handful of surgeries as her parents visited several times a week.
She came home on oxygen and a monitor and had developmental and physical follow-ups for more than a year.
On Sunday, she’ll turn 3, essentially healthy.
“Looking at it now, you think ‘How did I even do this?’ ” said her mom, Christine, remembering the emotional roller coaster of Brooke’s first months.
The Huntley family is grateful for caring nurses and doctors willing to try newer procedures. They give some of the credit to March of Dimes, which funds research on premature birth, and they have been involved with the organization’s fundraising walk since Brooke was born.
This year, they’ll celebrate Brooke’s birthday as the ambassador family for the newly renamed March for Babies, previously WalkAmerica. They will share their story Sunday with about 500 walkers and 100 runners who are expected to complete the 5K route at Lippold Park, 851 W. Route 176, Crystal Lake.
The participants do not have a minimum fundraising requirement, but 92 cents of every dollar raised will be funneled into research and community outreach on premature birth, birth defects and infant mortality, said Jennifer Smith, March of Dimes’ division director for Northern Illinois.
“Twenty years ago, you didn’t hear about babies born at 1 or 2 pounds that survived,” Smith said. “And research has made all the difference for that.”
Brooke’s fight isn’t quite over. She’ll undergo two more surgeries soon. One will tighten the muscle in her left eye, and another will cosmetically improve the scar slashed horizontally across her stomach.
For now, though, she’s learning her numbers and colors after mastering her ABCs. She likes riding her tricycle and helping with her little sister, whose middle name, Erin, honors Brooke’s primary nurse in the neonatal intensive care unit.
Her parents have learned that other families are dealing with tougher cases or setbacks, and if asked, they would tell others with premature babies to just take it one day at a time.
“Try to stay positive,” Christine said.
Her husband, Joe, suggested putting trust in the doctors’ hands.
“What else can you do?” he said.
