Help the Madden Family Grow

Hello! We are the Madden family, and we are reaching out with hope in our hearts and a dream we’re hopeful of making come true. Our journey together began at the University of Florida, where we met. After graduation, James proudly served as an Engineer Officer in the Army, and once his service was complete, we settled in Jacksonville, Florida, to build our life together.

For Tate, the dream of becoming a mother and having a large family was a lifelong vision. Since childhood, she had imagined a bustling home filled with love, laughter, and lots of children. However, growing our family has proven to be more challenging than we ever anticipated. We faced the heartbreaking pain of recurrent pregnancy loss. Each loss leaving us more devastated and uncertain of our future. After many difficult setbacks and a high-risk pregnancy, we were finally blessed with the joy of carrying a healthy baby to term.

On October 1st, 2023, our son Shane arrived. Strong, healthy, and perfect in every way, he filled our hearts with more love than we ever thought possible. However, just moments after his birth, what was supposed to be a routine C-section turned into a medical emergency. Tate suffered a subarachnoid hemorrhage (hemorrhagic stroke/brain bleed), a seizure, and severe blood loss due to uterine atony. Within minutes of Shane’s birth, she was taken to the Neurological Intensive Care Unit. Thanks to the incredible care of our medical team and Tate’s resilience, she ultimately made a full recovery. We are eternally grateful for the life-saving care she received.

In the months that followed, we sought answers for what caused Tate’s emergency, but unfortunately, we still do not have a clear understanding. The severity of these complications led her medical team to advise against future pregnancies due to the extreme risks they would pose to her health. While this news was a devastating blow, our desire to build our family has not wavered. We know we can no longer have the large family we anticipated, but we want just one more child to give our boy a sibling. We have now turned to the option of using a gestational carrier to help us complete our family, but this journey presents both emotional and financial challenges. At this stage in our life, the unexpected cost is too great.

If you feel moved to contribute, your donation will make an immeasurable difference in our journey. Every dollar, no matter how small, will help us take the next step toward bringing our dream of completing our family to life.

The road ahead will not be easy, but with your support, we remain hopeful that our dream is still within reach. Your generosity will help in ways words can hardly express, and we are deeply grateful for your kindness, consideration, and support. We also know the importance of giving, and one day, when we’re more established, we plan to pay it forward and help others in a similar situation. Thank you for helping us bring our dream closer to reality.

With gratitude,

The Madden Family