Miracle baby Camilla Grace

Hi Everyone! I'm Ricardo and on behalf of my wife Crystal and our first born miracle baby girl named Camilla Grace Santana, I am setting up this fundraiser. With the primary purpose to cover medical and financial expenses related to our Camilla's unexpectedly welcome prematurely at 21 weeks 6 days on April 17th, 2023, from her original due date of August 20th, 2023 due to a medical complication with my wife. Camilla weigh just 1Ib 0.9oz, and was 25cm long, at birth. 

Camilla is considered a micro-preemie miracle baby, which creates a much more critical situation. As studies show that babies born between 20 to 22 weeks are so small and fragile that their survive rate is less than a 10 % due to their lungs, heart and brain not being ready for them to live outside the womb. But miraculously, although she has already undergone several risky procedures, she recently hit a huge milestone reaching 36 weeks and her first 100 days on earth in the NICU at Golisano Children's Hospital of Southwest Florida and already weighs 4Ibs. 

Although Camilla still isn’t growing at the proper rate, she’s certainly growing at her sassy pace. While still requiring oxygen to help her breathe and a feeding tube, we are very optimistic we will continue to celebrate many more milestones and victories throughout her life journey. Camilla is expected to stay in the NICU for several months as she continues to develop and grow. Which means, we will need all the support possible in many areas to help aliviate some of the challenges that lie ahead.

While both Crystal and I work full-time jobs, we want to support, care and enjoy Camilla as much as possible. However, due to my wife's medical emergency complications during Camilla's C-section and recovery efforts after birth, she's used much of her place of employment's FMLA and maternity leave to heal and recuperate. Nevertheless, we make daily visits to the NICU to spend countless time with our miracle baby. Camilla's journey has not been an easy one. Each day has been literally a miracle in the making before our eyes. 

As a special needs child, with an uncertain future, Camilla will require access to multiple medical, physical and educational support as well as child care services to help her overcome the many potential developmental stages in her life.

Unfortunately, our personal finances and resources will not be able to fully cover or sustain such efforts effectively. Placing on us an enormous amount of stress and anxiety as newbie parents. Reason why any help is greatly appreciated as it gives our family time to also plan ahead while the Camilla comes home without worry.

As surely once she comes home, things will rapidly change due to the dedicated assistance she will need. Reason why planning ahead is a huge priority for us. The funds collected from this fundraiser will help support the multiple medical bills, travel expenses, care and other costs associated with Camilla Grace's journey from the NICU to being home and surely beyond. 

Crystal, myself and our entire family are so overwhelmed and grateful by the amount of love, prayers, and support we have received. From the bottom of our hearts, we thank everyone who has kept us in their thoughts and prayers, taken time to call and personally visit with us. Your time and efforts are tremendously appreciated. If you cannot contribute with a monetary donation, please provide us with your prayers as they do work magnificent wonders and without them Camilla wouldn’t be the fighter that she is. We faithfully know that God's Will, will prevail! Camilla's unifying life purpose is going to be great. Just stay tune for our updates. 

Last, but not least, we also want to recognize and personally thank the dedicated medical team, beautiful nurses and hospital staff at the Golisano Children's Hospital of Southwest Florida for the incredible support and medical treatment Camilla has already received at the NICU and will continue to receive while temporarily there. Without them Camilla wouldn’t be amongst us. Their care and dedication is a testament of their commitment to excellence and service in saving lives! 

 https://winknews.com/2023/07/26/tiny-baby-beats-odds-survives/