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Each month, Community Health Charities of Michigan will
feature a patient story from one of our member agencies. Sharing these stories allow us to illustrate the great things our donors do
to help out each of our charities.
Check back soon for a new story of someone you've helped with your donation!
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Offers Support After Infant Death Ebony and Michael Evans were delighted to learn that they were going to be parents. But their journey wasn’t going to be easy. During her pregnancy, Ebony developed toxemia and high blood pressure, health issues which caused her baby, Mychael Javaughn, to be born prematurely. Then Mychael’s lungs collapsed. But doctors brought the baby back to health and he was released from the hospital. He had a tracheotomy, breathing machine and oxygen tank, but Mom Ebony was delighted to have him home. Mychael loved to take a bath and be held and was fascinated by the family dog, Lucy. Then just short of his first birthday, Mychael’s lungs collapsed again and he died. Ebony raced home from her job and she and Michael and family held Mychael for the last time. They would never again see the beautiful smile of their precious son. How does a family cope with such a tragedy? One way is through Tomorrow’s Child/Michigan SIDS, which provides 13 months of grief support services and comfort through support groups, conferences, memorials and family events throughout the year. Contracted by the State of Michigan, Tomorrow’s Child promotes safe sleep, or risk reduction, to help lower the state infant mortality rate. Nearly three-quarters of the agency’s budget goes for grief support, education and research. According to Jan Quiring, of the agency’s philanthropy and community relations department, Tomorrow’s Child provides hospitals, doctor’s offices and other health care agencies with information on how to provide a safe sleeping environment for a newborn. The agency hopes to spread this information to daycare centers and grandparents. Nearly 1,200 babies die in Michigan each year, 300 from SIDS, which is defined as a non-diagnosis syndrome. Although an infant death is usually related to a sleep situation, “we don’t know why a baby died,” said Ms. Quiring. “Even after an autopsy, we can’t find the cause.” A state Infant Death Review Board investigates each infant death. Eleven Michigan communities, mostly urban, have the highest incidence of infant death, Ms. Quiring said, with Detroit being the highest. The agency is working with health and childcare providers to help bring down the numbers. Families “long to remember their baby,” Ms. Quiring explained, and the agency helps with its Memorial Baby Garden, memorial services and fund-raising baby walks. Ebony Evans is on the board of the Sterling Heights walk. Ebony is grateful for the help she received from Tomorrow’s Child. Now, nearly four years later, Ebony is pregnant again and looking forward to the birth of her new baby. Babies are dying because they are put to sleep in places that are not safe. Babies always need a safe place to sleep. Parents like Ebony want other parents to know:
For more information about the Seven Safe Sleep steps and
about services provided by Tomorrow’s Child call 517-485-7437 or visit them
on the web at
www.tomorrowschild.org. 1. Baby sleeps by him or herself in a crib, portable crib or bassinet. 2. Always put baby to sleep on his or her back even when he can roll over. 3. Nothing in sleep area. No pillows, blankets, comforters, stuffed animals or other soft things. 4. Keep baby’s face uncovered during sleep for easy breathing. Use a sleeper instead of a blanket. 5. Don’t allow anyone to smoke anything around baby. 6. Don’t overheat the baby. Dress the baby in as much or as little clothing as you are wearing. 7. Use a firm mattress with a tightly fitted sheet. Make sure whoever takes care of your baby has a crib or portable crib for your baby to sleep. Talk to grandparents, babysitters, child care, neighbors and anyone who cares for your baby about the safest way for your baby to sleep. |
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The people who work at Easter Seals do so because they want to change clients' lives for the better. There is no better example of a life changing metamorphosis than in the case of Howard, an Adult Mental Health Services client, whose words of triumph speak for themselves. "My life before Easter Seals was really bad. I was homeless and was in a program in Pontiac for alcoholism and depression. My caseworker advised me to go to Easter Seals. (Before going to Easter Seals) I wasn't stable. I wasn't taking my medication on a regular basis. I found myself in and out of the hospital frequently. I probably was hospitalized about 9 times that year prior to coming to Easter Seals. After coming to Easter Seals, I haven't been hospitalized once. I haven't been hospitalized or had a drink for two years now. I'm involved in the weekly men's group and the twelve-step program. Easter Seals has helped me to stabilize my medication and stay clean." "The thing that stands out in my mind when it comes to Easter Seals is support. The support that I was getting in the beginning from other sources faded. I never really had a place to go to establish some type of stability. Easter Seals did that for me. Having my doctor here, my case manager, having the groups, being able to establish relationships with other people in the organization; all of that helped me to have that stability in my life. That's what has kept me on the road to recovery, having that support network." |
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Agency
Promotes ‘Safe Sleep’ for Newborns;