Jase's Medical Fund

A few weeks ago, Neal and Meghan Turner learned that their second child would be born with gastroschisis – an abdominal wall birth defect that causes the baby’s intestines to form on the outside of the body. The survival rate is high, at over 90%, but the first initial cost of hospital care is expensive.

At 37 weeks and 6 days, Meghan gave birth to Jase James. Weighing in at 6 lbs. 13 ounces, the doctor quickly wrapped him in a clear, sterile bag to minimize fluid loss, laid him on his mother’s chest for a prayer, and then whisked him away to surgery.

Jase is on a breathing ventilator, feeding through a tube while a water-bottle-sized bag uses gravity to pull the organ back into the body. The surgeons expect this process to complete in five days. Once the doctors close the wound, nurses will work to get him to feed from a syringe. If his digestive track can handle the milk, he will graduate to nursing. After which, he will have a long road to recovery in intensive care.

The cause of gastroschisis is unknown and the recovery period varies on the child. The unidentified time and costs associated with neonatal care are the reasons why I am asking for your help. Donate, encourage, and alleviate stress for this well deserving family.