Hope & Healing for New Mom Emily and Baby Rhett
Donation protected
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Summary: In the fall of 2018, Emily and Brandon found out they were expecting. Pregnancy was not going as expected and they learned it had actually triggered a rare, life-threatening blood disorder, hemophagocyctic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH) that, without immediate treatment, would be fatal. Emily underwent chemotherapy and steroid treatment and was able to deliver their son in May, two months before he was due. Unfortunately the delivery did not stabilize her health as doctors had hoped and she continued to fight to regain her health through the rest of the year. After almost two months in Boston preparing for, and undergoing a stem cell transplant, Emily's battle with HLH came to an end in early December. She passed peacefully surrounded by her family. This beautiful new mom is gone too soon and, while we reached our initial fundraising goal, we plan to continue raising money to help the family in these challenging months and years ahead. Please engage in her story and, if you're able, please donate to help create a safety net for her husband, Brandon, and their baby boy, Rhett.
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Original post from July 2019:
In early 2019, my friend Emily told me she was pregnant and, as a relatively new mom myself, I was overjoyed to welcome her to the mom club. Unfortunately this announcement wasn't accompanied with the usual "we're expecting" elation because Emily also had to break the news she wasn't sure if she and her baby would survive the pregnancy due to it having triggered a rare blood disorder that would require chemotherapy and steroids to save her life.
In that moment, my heart sank and the tears poured out for Emily and her husband Brandon. Pregnancy is already stressful and challenging enough when everyone is healthy, and to think of going through it feeling terrible everyday, compounded by the physical toll chemo and steroids take on the body, not to mention the uncertainty of how the baby would handle the treatments or, worse, to wonder if it (and she) would survive.
It was a physically and mentally draining time for Emily and her family, but we are relieved to share they welcomed baby Rhett in May, eight weeks before he was due weighing only 2 lbs 7.2 oz.
Doctors hoped the delivery would help stabilize and improve Emily's condition, however, it has not and she is still fighting to regain her health.
We are asking you to help this beautiful family as they continue to face a rough road to recovery shadowed by many unknowns in their future. At the bottom we've outlined multiple ways you can help the Prifogles aside from donating to this campaign.
The Full Story:
Emily and Brandon were overjoyed to discover that they’d be welcoming a baby in 2019 and were so excited to announce the news to close family during the Christmas season!

Unfortunately early pregnancy was not going well. Usually a singer and a runner, Emily was finding it difficult to climb a flight of stairs, had developed a cough she couldn’t kick, and was gradually losing her voice. When she developed severe swelling in her legs, her OB/GYN leapt into action ordering several blood tests. On January 9, she called Emily as soon as the results were in - something was seriously wrong, and Good Samaritan Hospital in Cincinnati was on stand by to admit her.
The next 48 hours were a blur of blood transfusions, doctor consults, and medical tests. By Friday afternoon, they had a diagnosis - hemophagocyctic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH), a rare, life-threatening blood disorder that, without immediate treatment, would be fatal. Doctors explained potential triggers for the disease including cancer, infection, genetics, and very likely, the pregnancy. At 13 weeks pregnant, a time that should be most joyous for soon-to-be new parents, Emily and Brandon had to face the cruel question of whether to terminate the pregnancy, or continue in hopes that the baby and Emily would endure and overcome the exhausting treatment regimen of chemo therapy and steroids, as well as potential return of the disease.
HLH is a life-threatening condition in which the immune system does not work properly, causing cells that should destroy infected cells in the body to damage healthy organs and tissues instead. It is incredibly rare and most often occurs in children as the result of an inherited condition; however, as in Emily’s case, can also be acquired.
You can learn more about HLH by visiting these sites:
https://www.cincinnatichildrens.org/health/h/hemophagocytic-lymphohistiocytosis-hlh
https://rarediseases.info.nih.gov/diseases/6589/hemophagocytic-lymphohistiocytosis
The weeks that followed consisted of one appointment after another for chemo therapy treatments and blood work checks for Emily, and weekly heart beat checks and extra growth ultrasounds with the high risk Maternal Fetal Medicine doctors for baby. Day to day life became a waiting game of wondering if Emily’s “numbers” would normalize, and praying and hoping all looked normal and on track with baby.

On March 1, at 20 weeks pregnant, Emily had her final chemo treatment and rang the bell. A week later, she landed back in the hospital for 4 days with an infection.

On April 1, 24 weeks pregnant, Emily was well enough to return to work and, at 28 weeks, Emily and Brandon breathed a little easier having reached pregnancy viability.

A week later, on May 8, Emily’s blood work indicated signs that the HLH had returned, leading to a new treatment plan and increased steroids. Baby Prifogle’s induction was scheduled for June 6 (33 weeks, 6 days). She stabilized for a week, but when her platelet levels dropped dangerously low and doctors consulted with Emily and Brandon to discuss delivering baby right away, at 31 weeks, 6 days.
Rhett, a darling premature baby boy, joined the world and showed everyone that he is a fighter just like Mama! Estimated to stay in the hospital until his original due date of mid-July, Rhett made great strides. His CPAP machine was removed within 24 hours and he started breathing room air! He also was motivated to pull out his feeding tube in favor of bottles, and graduated from the NICU early on his one-month birthday.




Unfortunately, even after Rhett's birth, Emily's health did not rebound as doctors had hoped. She spent two weeks in the hospital receiving additional treatments and multiple blood product transfusions, ultimately having to undergo more chemo therapy.

What's Next & How The Funds Will Be Used:
This family's road to recovery will be long and challenging, and there are so many unknowns in their future. It is our hope we can create a safety net for this family to help ensure Emily will be able to have enough maternity leave for her, Rhett, and Brandon to get through the exhausting first months and years as parents of a premature newborn, to help cover the burdening costs of traveling to and from Cincinnati several times a week for the foreseeable future, and to help cover whatever may come in the coming months and years of healing for Rhett, Emily, and Brandon. [As of October, Emily is being treated in Boston which is escalating the family's travel fund needs.]
How You Can Help:
Contribute & Share: Contributing to this campaign and sharing this story on your social media is the best way to help and support the Prifogle family navigate these challenging months ahead.
Gift Cards (Kroger, Target, & Amazon): Due to Emily's compromised immune system, she cannot go into grocery stores, but they regularly use Kroger Clicklist to pick up groceries, and with all the travel to/from Cincinnati, the gift cards can also be used to help with gas. Also, while Emily is now indefinitely in Boston, Brandon and Rhett will be visiting as much a possible so Exxon Mobile gas cards would be greatly appreciated!
Baby Registry: The baby shower was cancelled due to Rhett's early delivery, please check out the registries to see if there's something you can help with.
Amazon Registry
Target Registry
Diapers: Help stock Baby Rhett's diaper closet - Pampers Swaddlers - Sizes 2 & 3 (Click link to buy on Amazon), send to 11162 James Rd. Brookville, IN 47012.
Pay it Forward: Join the registry at BeTheMatch in honor of Emily. Or donate blood and platelets: Emily needed four platelet transfusions the morning of her c-section and Hoxworth was, and still is, low on supply. Learn more about donating here or visit RedCrossBlood.org to find locations to donate.
Freezer Meals: Emily and Brandon can accept frozen meals that can be cooked to kill off any bacteria. Order a meal here https://www.sendameal.com/frozen_dinner_delivery or if you're local, contact Brandon or Emily and they will send you information on coordinating drop off.
Stay tuned for updates on Rhett and Emily's growth and healing journeys.

Summary: In the fall of 2018, Emily and Brandon found out they were expecting. Pregnancy was not going as expected and they learned it had actually triggered a rare, life-threatening blood disorder, hemophagocyctic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH) that, without immediate treatment, would be fatal. Emily underwent chemotherapy and steroid treatment and was able to deliver their son in May, two months before he was due. Unfortunately the delivery did not stabilize her health as doctors had hoped and she continued to fight to regain her health through the rest of the year. After almost two months in Boston preparing for, and undergoing a stem cell transplant, Emily's battle with HLH came to an end in early December. She passed peacefully surrounded by her family. This beautiful new mom is gone too soon and, while we reached our initial fundraising goal, we plan to continue raising money to help the family in these challenging months and years ahead. Please engage in her story and, if you're able, please donate to help create a safety net for her husband, Brandon, and their baby boy, Rhett.
*****
Original post from July 2019:
In early 2019, my friend Emily told me she was pregnant and, as a relatively new mom myself, I was overjoyed to welcome her to the mom club. Unfortunately this announcement wasn't accompanied with the usual "we're expecting" elation because Emily also had to break the news she wasn't sure if she and her baby would survive the pregnancy due to it having triggered a rare blood disorder that would require chemotherapy and steroids to save her life.
In that moment, my heart sank and the tears poured out for Emily and her husband Brandon. Pregnancy is already stressful and challenging enough when everyone is healthy, and to think of going through it feeling terrible everyday, compounded by the physical toll chemo and steroids take on the body, not to mention the uncertainty of how the baby would handle the treatments or, worse, to wonder if it (and she) would survive.
It was a physically and mentally draining time for Emily and her family, but we are relieved to share they welcomed baby Rhett in May, eight weeks before he was due weighing only 2 lbs 7.2 oz.
Doctors hoped the delivery would help stabilize and improve Emily's condition, however, it has not and she is still fighting to regain her health.
We are asking you to help this beautiful family as they continue to face a rough road to recovery shadowed by many unknowns in their future. At the bottom we've outlined multiple ways you can help the Prifogles aside from donating to this campaign.
The Full Story:
Emily and Brandon were overjoyed to discover that they’d be welcoming a baby in 2019 and were so excited to announce the news to close family during the Christmas season!
Unfortunately early pregnancy was not going well. Usually a singer and a runner, Emily was finding it difficult to climb a flight of stairs, had developed a cough she couldn’t kick, and was gradually losing her voice. When she developed severe swelling in her legs, her OB/GYN leapt into action ordering several blood tests. On January 9, she called Emily as soon as the results were in - something was seriously wrong, and Good Samaritan Hospital in Cincinnati was on stand by to admit her.
The next 48 hours were a blur of blood transfusions, doctor consults, and medical tests. By Friday afternoon, they had a diagnosis - hemophagocyctic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH), a rare, life-threatening blood disorder that, without immediate treatment, would be fatal. Doctors explained potential triggers for the disease including cancer, infection, genetics, and very likely, the pregnancy. At 13 weeks pregnant, a time that should be most joyous for soon-to-be new parents, Emily and Brandon had to face the cruel question of whether to terminate the pregnancy, or continue in hopes that the baby and Emily would endure and overcome the exhausting treatment regimen of chemo therapy and steroids, as well as potential return of the disease.
HLH is a life-threatening condition in which the immune system does not work properly, causing cells that should destroy infected cells in the body to damage healthy organs and tissues instead. It is incredibly rare and most often occurs in children as the result of an inherited condition; however, as in Emily’s case, can also be acquired.
You can learn more about HLH by visiting these sites:
https://www.cincinnatichildrens.org/health/h/hemophagocytic-lymphohistiocytosis-hlh
https://rarediseases.info.nih.gov/diseases/6589/hemophagocytic-lymphohistiocytosis
The weeks that followed consisted of one appointment after another for chemo therapy treatments and blood work checks for Emily, and weekly heart beat checks and extra growth ultrasounds with the high risk Maternal Fetal Medicine doctors for baby. Day to day life became a waiting game of wondering if Emily’s “numbers” would normalize, and praying and hoping all looked normal and on track with baby.
On March 1, at 20 weeks pregnant, Emily had her final chemo treatment and rang the bell. A week later, she landed back in the hospital for 4 days with an infection.
On April 1, 24 weeks pregnant, Emily was well enough to return to work and, at 28 weeks, Emily and Brandon breathed a little easier having reached pregnancy viability.
A week later, on May 8, Emily’s blood work indicated signs that the HLH had returned, leading to a new treatment plan and increased steroids. Baby Prifogle’s induction was scheduled for June 6 (33 weeks, 6 days). She stabilized for a week, but when her platelet levels dropped dangerously low and doctors consulted with Emily and Brandon to discuss delivering baby right away, at 31 weeks, 6 days.
Rhett, a darling premature baby boy, joined the world and showed everyone that he is a fighter just like Mama! Estimated to stay in the hospital until his original due date of mid-July, Rhett made great strides. His CPAP machine was removed within 24 hours and he started breathing room air! He also was motivated to pull out his feeding tube in favor of bottles, and graduated from the NICU early on his one-month birthday.
Unfortunately, even after Rhett's birth, Emily's health did not rebound as doctors had hoped. She spent two weeks in the hospital receiving additional treatments and multiple blood product transfusions, ultimately having to undergo more chemo therapy.
What's Next & How The Funds Will Be Used:
This family's road to recovery will be long and challenging, and there are so many unknowns in their future. It is our hope we can create a safety net for this family to help ensure Emily will be able to have enough maternity leave for her, Rhett, and Brandon to get through the exhausting first months and years as parents of a premature newborn, to help cover the burdening costs of traveling to and from Cincinnati several times a week for the foreseeable future, and to help cover whatever may come in the coming months and years of healing for Rhett, Emily, and Brandon. [As of October, Emily is being treated in Boston which is escalating the family's travel fund needs.]
How You Can Help:
Contribute & Share: Contributing to this campaign and sharing this story on your social media is the best way to help and support the Prifogle family navigate these challenging months ahead.
Gift Cards (Kroger, Target, & Amazon): Due to Emily's compromised immune system, she cannot go into grocery stores, but they regularly use Kroger Clicklist to pick up groceries, and with all the travel to/from Cincinnati, the gift cards can also be used to help with gas. Also, while Emily is now indefinitely in Boston, Brandon and Rhett will be visiting as much a possible so Exxon Mobile gas cards would be greatly appreciated!
Baby Registry: The baby shower was cancelled due to Rhett's early delivery, please check out the registries to see if there's something you can help with.
Amazon Registry
Target Registry
Diapers: Help stock Baby Rhett's diaper closet - Pampers Swaddlers - Sizes 2 & 3 (Click link to buy on Amazon), send to 11162 James Rd. Brookville, IN 47012.
Pay it Forward: Join the registry at BeTheMatch in honor of Emily. Or donate blood and platelets: Emily needed four platelet transfusions the morning of her c-section and Hoxworth was, and still is, low on supply. Learn more about donating here or visit RedCrossBlood.org to find locations to donate.
Freezer Meals: Emily and Brandon can accept frozen meals that can be cooked to kill off any bacteria. Order a meal here https://www.sendameal.com/frozen_dinner_delivery or if you're local, contact Brandon or Emily and they will send you information on coordinating drop off.
Stay tuned for updates on Rhett and Emily's growth and healing journeys.
Organizer and beneficiary
Justine McKenney
Organizer
Brookville, IN
Emily Prifogle
Beneficiary