Kiernan's Krusade- Fundraiser for Kiernan Widmark

On November 10, 2020 Lauren, Christian, and Mia had just finished dinner. As Lauren was cleaning up the kitchen, she felt a sudden and sharp pain. Lauren was just shy of being 34 weeks pregnant with her son, Kiernan. The pain Lauren felt was a sudden Placental Abruption.

After a 40-minute drive to Vassar Hospital Lauren was rushed in for an emergency C-Section, right before which she learned that they could not find a heartbeat for Kiernan. When Lauren awoke, Christian told her that their son had been stillborn and brought back to life through ten minutes of CPR, but that he had begun seizing and was given medication to stop the seizures.

Kiernan was brought to Albany Medical Center at 3:00 a.m. the next day where Lauren and Christian were told that he had suffered "permanent irreversible brain damage." They were told that there was minimal to no brain activity and to make arrangements to bury their son.

Fortunately, after three unimaginably difficult days, doctors realized that Kiernan's kidneys were not working, therefore the seizure medication was still in his system causing the EEG to show minimal brain activity. Against all odds, Kiernan not only survived the placental abruption but came home from the NICU after five weeks- just in time for Christmas!

The doctors eventually confirmed that Kiernan had Hypoxic-Ischemic Encephalopathy which resulted in Spastic Quadriplegic Cerebral Palsy. Kiernan began therapy in February 2021 and continues to attend up to eleven therapy sessions weekly, including traveling to Albany for a special therapy to help Kiernan swallow. Lauren and Christian aid in all of his therapies and do additional therapeutic work on their own with him. All of this while taking care of their amazing 5 year-old daughter, Mia, and working.

Due to all of this hard work, Kiernan has progressed beyond what anyone thought possible. However, Kiernan still cannot swallow and has to be fed with a g-tube. Since he cannot swallow he chokes easily and has to be suctioned often. Kiernan has an especially hard time in his car seat. Therefore, Christian and Lauren cannot drive alone with him. This means that when one of them is working, the other is stuck in the house or has to ask someone (usually one of Kiernan's amazing grandparents or other family members) to come along. To hopefully help him swallow and progress in other areas, Lauren and Christian have decided to pursue an intensive program called NAPA (www.napacenter.org).

Kiernan has been accepted into the program, however the programs are located in Austin, TX and then Chicago, IL and they have to stay for three weeks each time. It is because of this that I have set up this Go Fund Me. Lauren and Chris have done so much on their own and with the help of family, but being out of work for three weeks, away from her daughter, and trying to find a place to stay (not to mention eat) is a lot. I know Lauren, Christian, Mia, and Kiernan have so many people who love them and want to support them through this in any way. I am asking for you to donate to make this difficult situation a little easier for them. Thank you so much!