Spotlight on Once A Mother

Meet Kristin & sweet Peyton from Once A Mother & Doing Good In Her Name.  I am in serious awe of all the amazing women I have connected with that are doing so much to give back to others.   I am truly honored to spotlight Kristin and Peyton today! 

Peyton Elizabeth

 Kristin & Peyton's Story from Once a Mother

I lost my first pregnancy in '07 to miscarriage, but held out hope & soon learned that my husband & I were expecting again. My pregnancy was picture perfect. In September 2008, after 42 weeks, I gave birth by c-section to my 1st child, a beautiful baby girl, Peyton Elizabeth, who unbeknownst to any of us had Infant Leukemia (ALL w/ MLL) the odds of which fell around 1 in 50 million. Peyton blessed us with her beautiful smile & unguarded love, never letting on just how sick she really was. For 28 days she fought with the heart of a prizefighter & we held onto the hope that she would beat the cancer & the odds. Infant Leukemia made Peyton an angel October 2, 2008 & a piece of me left with her. A year later we began trying again & learned that an infection from my c-section with Peyton had destroyed my tubes & left me infertile. After two rounds of IVF, we are pregnant with twins. I write this blog as a tribute to Peyton, and my journey through life without her. I don’t know where this story goes, or how it will end, only that loving & mothering Peyton has left me forever changed & losing her has washed a perspective over my life that I could never have anticipated.

Kristin also has a website, Doing Good In Her Name, that gives service to other struggling families in honor of Peyton. 

Here is Kristin's story from Doing Good in Her Name

We are Andrew and Kristin. On September 4th 2008, after 42 weeks of a seemingly picture perfect pregnancy, our first child, Peyton Elizabeth, came into this world with bright blue eyes, and full pink cheeks. Within moments, our world came crashing down. During her routine post birth exam by the pediatrician, it was discovered that none of Peyton's injection sites could stop bleeding. Our "beautiful, perfect little girl" had, unbeknownst to us, been born with an extremely rare form of Congenital Infant Leukemia (ALL w/ MLL rearrangement) the odds of which fall around 1 in 50 million. 

The name Peyton means "warrior" and a warrior she was, fighting for 28 days through chemotherapy, countless tests and transfusions, procedures, and operations, all the while blessing us with her beautiful smile and unguarded love, and never letting on just how sick she really was. She fought for life with the heart of a prizefighter, and we, as her parents, held onto the hope that she would beat the cancer & the odds.

Her fight was valiant, but the battle was too great. Only a small percentage of children born with ALL live to see their third birthday. Sadly, on October 2, 2008, at just 28 days old, Infant Leukemia made Peyton an angel.

During Peyton's life, we were the recipients of many acts of kindness. Wanting to pay that kindness forward, we started Doing Good In Her Name In November of 2009, an initiative focused on honoring the memory of our little warrior, Peyton Elizabeth, by assisting other critically ill infants and their families.

How can you help? Want to donate?  Read the information below or just click here.

HOLIDAY FUNDRAISER 
AND GIFT CARD DRIVE

Thanks to your amazing generosity, our item donation drive has been such a huge success that we can now shift our focus through the holiday season to providing financial support to the families of critically ill children being treated at CCMC!

Having a critically ill infant puts an incredible financial strain on the infant's family. Beyond the medical expenses, there are many other unexpected expenses including lost time from work, travel expenses, parking expenses, food expenses while at the hospital, etc. 

Through Doing Good In Her Name, you can help support these families in two very special (and tax deductible) ways:

GIFT CARDS:

(Keep your receipts)

Every gift card donated, will be distributed to the parents/ family of a critically ill infant being treated at CCMC. Gift Cards in any amount are greatly appreciated from the following establishments. These cards are easiest for these families to use, as these establishments are located at or near CCMC.

*Dunkin Donuts 
*Friendly's

*Gift Cards To Area Gas Stations 
-Sunoco
-Shell
-Valero
-Getty
-Gulf
-Mobil
-BP 
*J Restaurant and Bar
-located directly across from the hospital at 297 Washington St. Hartford, CT 06106. 860-527-7764.

FINANCIAL DONATIONS:

Tax Deductible financial donations can also be made and will be used to provide the families of critically ill infants with parking passes and food vouchers for the hospital cafeteria, as well as with financial support. Parking at the hospital is quite expensive, and we know from personal experience what a great help these vouchers can be in alleviating some of the financial burden that families with very sick babies are facing. 


Cafeteria food vouchers help too, making the prospect of grabbing a quick bite much easier for these families when it is not possible to get away from the hospital for a meal. 

If you would like to make a monetary donation, please make your checks payable to The Connecticut Children's Medical Center Foundation and reference "Doing Good In Her Name" in the memo line.

Please send your donations to

Peyton’s Pals

Attn: Doing Good In Her Name

P.O. Box 1281

Burlington, CT 06013

Thank you in advance for doing your part to help these families through this Holiday Season. God Bless!

Check out Once a Mother and Doing Good in Her Name.  Make sure to leave her a comment and tell Kristin Honoring Our Angels sent you!