A touching image of a preemie adorned with a custom helmet is making waves online, delivering a significant message. Recently, a mother named Emily shared an endearing photo of her 8-month-old daughter in the Facebook group, Parenting Together. In the image, her little one sports a cranial helmet embellished with the phrase “Nevertheless, she persisted” made from craft stickers.
In her post, Emily extends a message of hope to other parents navigating the NICU experience. She writes, “To all the NICU parents out there, this past year has been the toughest of my life, but there’s a bright spot—my daughter. Born with several health challenges that required serious interventions to save her, we faced daunting news from doctors. Yet, through it all, she truly persisted.” The post quickly gained traction, garnering thousands of likes and supportive comments.
For those who may not be familiar, “Nevertheless, she persisted” originated as a feminist rallying cry after Majority Leader Mitch McConnell silenced Senator Elizabeth Warren during a debate over Jeff Sessions’ nomination for Attorney General.
Emily’s daughter has certainly shown remarkable resilience. During her pregnancy, Emily learned that there was an unresolved blood incompatibility that posed risks of premature birth or miscarriage. “We had to travel an hour and a half to a specialty hospital because no local doctors would take the case,” she shared. “She required two intrauterine transfusions, which was an incredibly complex process involving doctors maneuvering an ultrasound and inserting an 8-inch needle to deliver donor blood to a tiny vein.” The second transfusion required pinpointing a vein while she was still in utero, all without anesthesia. “The prenatal care team was phenomenal,” Emily recalls.
Despite their efforts, Emily’s daughter was born 1.5 months early and faced immediate challenges, including dangerously high bilirubin levels that necessitated an exchange transfusion. “On her fifth day, her liver finally began to function,” Emily remembers.
Eventually, Emily’s daughter graduated from the NICU, but she continues to encounter health hurdles. The elevated bilirubin levels left her skin with a greenish tint, and she now requires multiple therapies and specialists. She was referred to a cranial helmet specialist for her plagiocephaly. Initially, Emily was disheartened by the thought of her daughter wearing a helmet for 23 hours a day. “I was just so tired and didn’t want her to endure any more,” she admits. However, after seeing the positive results, she grew fond of the helmet. “It’s worth it when you see the before and after photos, although it does make cuddling a bit tricky.”
The idea to embellish the helmet with such a powerful statement came to Emily while watching Senator Warren’s speech when she was silenced. “I saw Mitch McConnell’s remarks and felt compelled to take a stand,” she said. While browsing at a craft store, she envisioned the phrase, thinking, “Nevertheless, she persisted.” She felt it perfectly encapsulated her daughter’s journey.
The photo of her smiling daughter in the helmet has received overwhelming responses, but one reaction stood out. The doctor who performed several of the exchange transfusions commented on the photo, expressing how it gave her goosebumps. Emily is deeply grateful for the medical team that has been instrumental in her daughter’s care, and it’s clear her daughter made a lasting impact on them as well.
Due to the out-of-state hospital and ongoing therapies, the family is facing significant medical bills. A friend has set up a Go Fund Me to assist them. Emily hopes that both her daughter and the powerful phrase on her helmet can inspire other parents grappling with similar challenges. “She’s still in physical therapy and developmental intervention, but if she can persist, so can we!”
“For all those babies, all the little girls, and every parent holding their breath, remember: you have to persist.”
In summary, a mother’s touching tribute to her NICU baby through a custom helmet sends a powerful message of resilience. The story highlights the challenges faced by families in the NICU and encourages others to remain hopeful.