Help Lu and Kristen Stay by Emerson's Side

*UPDATE* as of 4/20/25

Thank you to ALL who have supported Lu and Kristen so generously and responded so quickly to the call for help. Also thanks to those of you who are coming back to check in or visiting their gofundme for the first time, seeking how you can help. Two things:

Now on to details: Emerson is officially 7 days old! Lu, Kristen, and Emerson have been in incredible hands at MGH. Kristen, Lu, and their families are consistently in awe of how knowledgeable and brilliant, collaborative, kind, and human centered they are.

Emerson was placed on an ECMO machine shortly after arriving at MGH. Kristen was held for observation until Tuesday 4/15. Their families helped secure short term housing at a hotel one block from MGH. While Kristen's condition is improving, she is still experiencing childbirth impacts, limiting her mobility and requiring Dr's attention at times. In conjunction with direct family support, your contributions have allowed Kristen and Lu to keep close proximity to Emerson, while also properly tending to Kristen's continued recovery.

Emerson has shown promising signs over the week thanks to the amazing work of the NICU team at MGH. The time on the ECMO allowed her lungs and heart to continue to heal. On Friday April 18th, due to her continued improvement, the NICU team took Emerson off ECMO! While she is still being significantly supported by various other modalities- this is a very important steps in the right direction.

Original Request - 4/17/25

Dear friends, family, loved ones, and supporters of Lu and Kristen Butterfield-Ferrell, I write to ask you to consider donating to help Lu and Kristen cover the unexpected medical and living expenses that have come upon them in the process of bringing their beautiful daughter, Emerson Ruth, into the world.

Emerson was born on April 13 at 11:53 am. Unfortunately, within minutes, it was clear that Emerson was having trouble getting enough oxygen as her lungs were not working properly. It was determined she would need a higher level of care and was airlifted to Mass General in Boston. Emerson's condition required immediate surgery and, post-surgery, significant equipment to help her stabilize. Now she will need to stay stabilized and immobile in Mass General's NICU so her body can put all its focus on healing her lungs. There is no timetable for how long this will take, but the best information to date is at least a month.

In the midst of all this, Kristen's labor included significant complications, resulting in a multi-day hospital stay and, while discharged now, she is still in need of support in the form of someone with her much of the time for a week or two more.

Of all the outcomes, there was no way to prepare for this, and now Lu and Kristen face untold medical expenses and, more immediately, a need for housing near Mass General that can accommodate the two of them and a family member to primarily support Kristen as both of them try to love Emerson through her fight.

It is hard when we know our loved ones are clawing through difficult moments and we always want to find a way to help. What can we do? Covering their cost of housing in Boston would lift a HUGE weight off their shoulders. They just need to focus on Emerson and Kristen healing.

Thank you for reading and considering a gift to help them be where they need to be.