2024 Signature Chefs Feeding Motherhood Greenville

Our family is honored to have the opportunity to chair this year’s Signature Chefs Auction. Just a year and a half ago, we didn’t know much about the March of Dimes mission, until our lives were significantly impacted at the birth of our daughter Lucy, who was born at 28 weeks weighing only 1 pound 14 ounces. 

At 28 weeks, I stopped feeling Lucy move and from the recommendation of my dear friend Allison, an OB here in GVL, I went to go get checked. It wasn’t long after that I was getting rushed into an emergency c-section, and our daughter was born 3 months earlier than anyone anticipated. We spent 68 long days in the NICU, navigating a completely new and unexpected reality. Because of March of Dimes, we were able to navigate this uncertain season with resources and connections. We received books, donated by MOD, to read to Lucy, and while that may seem small, it was a game changer for us. It was therapeutic for me, gave me something to do in the long hours in the hospital and reading out loud is a proven way to help with brain development, which was a concern for Lucy due to her brain bleed 2 and PVL. We received sweet little surprises of a footprint or picture that we could share with grandparents since they were unable to meet her. March of Dimes provided us with tools to talk with our 2 year old about Lucy in a way that made sense to him. March of Dimes was a source of hope for us and continues to be a source of hope for Moms and Babies everywhere. 

We are thankful to share that Lucy is doing great! She is developing and hitting milestone after milestone. It is not lost on us that our story could have been much different and that there are moms and babies who don't get to experience the same happy ending. That is why it is so important for this community to lean in and get loud, so that we  continue to raise funds, provide resources, and conduct research to help ALL moms and ALL babies everywhere!