Amelia was born on December 31, 2014. She came into this world as a 23 week, 1lb 2oz micro-preemie. Her twin sister Grace was only 7 oz and passed away at two hours old. Amelia spent the first 176 days of her life in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. She developed hydrocephalus due to two brain bleeds within the first few weeks of her life which required a VP shunt to be placed to drain the excess cerebrospinal fluid from the ventricles in her brain. We faced many obstacles while in the NICU; a severe infection that led to sepsis, respiratory issues and feeding problems. Amelia had a total of six surgeries in the six months that she was inpatient. Her prematurity has led to many life long diagnoses; Periventricular leukomalacia, Cerebral Palsy, Chronic Lung Disease, Epilepsy, Adrenal Insufficiency, Gastrostomy tube for feeds and Cortical Vision Impairment, just to name a few. At the age of eight she has already endured twelve surgeries, her most recent being a left sided Hemispherectomy surgery, which disconnected her left side of her brain from her right to prevent seizures.

Amelia has endured so much in her life, yet you would never know it! She has a smile that lights up the room & the most contagious laugh! She loves going to school and seeing her friends. Amelia absolutely loves water and swimming! She also enjoys swinging on her swing, riding an adaptive bike, bowling, and movies. She is a huge fan of music and especially likes going to see Trans Siberian Orchestra. She is also a fan of sweets and loves whipped cream! Amelia is our little fighter who humbles us daily with her resilience, courage, and determination. She amazes us with her zest for life- always smiling no matter what is thrown her way. She is a true warrior and we are so proud of her!”