Easton turns 2 on October 26th (how???) and while we can’t all be together for this exciting occasion, we still wanted a way to invite our friends and family to celebrate with us. We knew there would be no better way to mark Easton’s special day than to thank the hospital that helped bring him into the world safely. 

Easton’s Early Birthday Virtual Walk will give us a way to celebrate his birthday and show our gratitude to the hospital who cared for him when he arrived 7 weeks before his December 13th due date (hence, early birthday!). We hope you’ll join us walking or running 1.4 miles virtually, symbolizing the exact distance we traveled when we brought Easton home after his two-week admission at the Saint Peter’s University Hospital NICU. We would be so grateful if you would also donate to the Saint Peter’s NICU if you are able.

You can view photos from Easton's NICU stay in the gallery above.

Nearly 6,000 babies are born every year at Saint Peters University Hospital. More than 500 of them are low birth weight babies, like Easton, and are admitted to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), ranked 34th in the nation in Neonatology by U.S. News & World Report, where they are treated by a team of highly skilled nurses, physicians, and other health professionals. The length of stay varies incredibly, with some infants spending one day in the NICU, while others stay 200+ days. 
COVID has affected the funds that hospitals have on hand as they focus their energy and resources on treating those who have fallen ill during this pandemic. Saint Peter’s alone has treated and successfully discharged more than 800 people diagnosed with Covid-19. The Saint Peter's NICU needs our help to ensure that sick and premature babies like Easton continue to get world class care during this difficult time. 

The nurses, doctors and administrators at Saint Peter's comforted us no matter the time of day, answered our many questions and taught us so much about caring for our tiny baby. We're committed to giving back so that other families have access to all of the comforting care that the Saint Peter's NICU has to offer and to support the hospital's mission to innovate and advance. We are grateful every day for what Saint Peter's did for our family, and ask you to join us in supporting them during this critical time. No matter the number of days, the impact of your child being cared for in the NICU is lasting. Our goal will assist in the purchase of much-needed items that range from parent care packages to Giraffe OmniBed Carestations that create the optimal environment for growth and healing of newborns.

Please join us in walking or running 1.4 miles between October 24th-26th and please donate if you can- any amount is so appreciated. We’d love to see photos of your walk/run- please use hashtag #EastonsEarlyBday on social media.

**On 10/27 we will randomly draw the name of a walk participant who made a donation, and the winner will receive a gift card to a local business of their choice.**