Imagine having to decide between going to work and staying at the hospital with your prematurely born baby who’s in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU).
“That’s a tough choice parents have to make,” says Ron Bullis.
He knows from personal experience. In 2007, Bullis’ baby girl Ella was born three and a half months early and weighed less than two pounds at birth.
Ella’s first few weeks in the NICU seemed to be going well -- she was gaining weight and didn’t need to be on a ventilator. Doctors were happy with her progress.
When she was 18 days old, they discovered she had necrotizing enterocolitis, a condition that destroys the tissue in a premature baby’s intestine. Ella went into surgery the morning of Jan. 20 to have a part of her intestine removed and because the condition had progressed so rapidly, she died a few hours later.
Bullis says it was “really a blind sider,” since she had been doing so well prior to that day.
On the one-year anniversary of Ella’s passing in 2008, he decided to honor her memory by starting the Ella Bullis Foundation to provide support, resources, and education to families that have been impacted by a premature birth or the loss of an infant.
One of the main ways the organization helps is by raising money for families in need. They do this by asking for donations via email or through their Facebook page, hosting a few fundraisers throughout the year, and accepting donations online.
The foundation typically works with a hospital social worker who determines what the family needs prior to getting them involved. The social worker will establish whether the family is eligible for any county, state, or federal funding and whatever needs are not met through those avenues, the Ella Bullis Foundation will try to meet.
“We fill in the gaps,” says Bullis.
The money raised helps pay for housing, transportation, food, and phone costs for families with a premature infant, as well as memorial and funeral costs if the baby dies.
Families may have to miss many days, weeks, or months of work and travel long distances to visit their child in the hospital. Plus, additional childcare may be required if there are other children. Depending on the length of the stay and the family’s financial situation, the loss of income and the added expenses of medical bills and other unexpected costs can be devastating.
The Ella Bullis Foundation does not give cash directly to the families as a way to ensure all donations are used responsibly. They may work with a landlord or a bank directly to help get a family caught up on rent, house payments, or even car payments. Or they may offer the family relocation assistance, hospital food vouchers, gas cards, or a pre-paid phone to handle the extra calls -- whatever might be needed to ease the financial burden of having a baby in the NICU.
The Ella Bullis Foundation is hosting its third annual Fall Fundraising Celebration on Thursday, Nov. 29 at The Gallery at Bar Divani from 5-7 p.m. Tickets are $75 each or $125 per couple and can be purchased at the door. Guests will be entertained by Valentiger lead guitarist, Brent Shirey, and enjoy a private wine tasting, open bar, hors d'oeuvres, and desserts provided by Martha’s Vineyard.
Considering that one in eight babies is born prematurely and more than 1,200 babies will visit the NICU this year, there is no shortage of families who may need some assistance. If you’d like to get involved, here are some ways you can:
- Visit the
Ella Bullis Foundation online to find out more.
- Attend the
fundraiser at Bar Divani on Thursday, Nov. 29. You can
register online or buy tickets at the door starting at 5 p.m.
-
Donate online.
- Like them on
Facebook.
Source: Ron Bullis, Founder & President of the Ella Bullis Foundation
Writer: Heidi Stukkie, Do Good Editor
Images provided by the Ella Bullis Foundation with photo credits to Jennifer Roede Photography, Matt Anderson, and Tim Motley.
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