Meet Gabbie and Nathan.

Gabbie found out she was pregnant with sweet Nathan in October of 2020. What started out as a happy pregnancy announcement soon became a bit more complicated. At around 26 weeks, Gabbie found out that Nathan was going to be born with CDH, or a Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia. This rare birth defect leads to a hole in the diaphragm, which causes the intestines, liver, and other abdominal organs to enter the chest cavity and prevent proper lung development. Gabbie was closely monitored by the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, and on June 3rd 2021, Nathan was born.

Currently, thanks to the wonderful providers at CHOP, Nathan is doing well and currently in the N/IICU (Newborn/ Infant Intensive Care Unit). However, this is still an uphill battle. In his case, Nathan’s CDH had caused his bowels to be pushed into his chest cavity, with one of his kidneys acting as a plug in his diaphragm. This has caused his heart to shift to the right of his chest, and has impaired the development of his left lung. Because of his improper lung development, Nathan was immediately placed on a ventilator, and has an NGT tube in place to prevent him from using his bowels. In order to correct these problems, Nathan will need a costly surgery to repair the hernia and improve his development.

Gabbie has been an EMT since December of 2016. She started as a volunteer, and has since progressed her way through the Berkeley Township Police Department EMS Division as a paid EMT. A little over a year ago, she applied for full time status, but due to Covid-19 and a variety of other issues, the department has been unable to promote anyone to full time status, including Gabbie. In April, she was taken out of work on doctor’s orders and has not been able to qualify for disability, meaning her only income at the moment is what she had in her savings. On July 12th, Gabbie will turn 26, and will be removed from her parent’s insurance. With only a part time job, Gabbie will have no coverage for herself or Nathan.

Although Nathan is currently doing well and staying strong, he will need continuous medical attention for the first several months of his life to ensure that he is able to thrive. Please help support Nathan and Gabbie by making a donation to their GoFundMe, and please share with your family and friends. Any donation will be greatly appreciated by Mama and baby. For those interested, Gabbie and her family will be posting updates on Nathan and his progress.

Thank you so much!