When I dedicated my life to neonatal ICU care I could never have imagined I was really preparing to one day support my most important patient: my niece.

My sister, Joanna Knapp, is gearing up for the exciting arrival of her baby girl in April. We are lucky enough to have an amazing group of doctors that discovered early on that “baby sister”, as her big brother has named her, has a congenital defect that will require significant intervention after birth. Because of this, instead of a delivery close to home, she needs specialty care at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP).

This means creating a home away from home for Joanna, her husband Mike, and their 2.5 year old son for weeks prior and months after delivery. Additionally, “baby sister” will require surgeries, therapies, and months in the NICU at CHOP. This all places a high emotional, mental, and physical load on the family. To ease the financial burden caused by the relocation and medical costs, I am hoping to raise money via this GoFundMe. Every dollar raised will go directly toward supporting relocation and travel costs, out-of-pocket medical treatments and necessary therapies, as well as day-to-day essentials while they are away from home.

Any contribution, no matter the size, would mean the absolute world to them. Beyond the financial support, we would love to collect words of love and encouragement for Joanna and Mike as they prepare for baby girl’s arrival. If you have any questions about how to best support them, please reach out to me.