"When I first learned we were expecting again, I never imagined the surprise that awaited us: identical twin boys. My husband and I already had two sons - Daniel and Theo - so hearing “twins” felt both miraculous and overwhelming. From the very beginning, our pregnancy was considered medium-risk, which meant countless ultrasounds, specialist appointments, and anxious nights hoping both babies were growing as they should. As the months passed, we learned that Baby A, who would be born first, was measuring smaller than his brother. A specialist later discovered that his umbilical cord was attached marginally to the placenta, something that would affect his growth and require close monitoring. Still, he stayed active, and doctors reassured us. We held onto hope.
But at 30 weeks, Baby A’s growth fell even further behind. Every appointment felt heavier than the last. We prepared for the possibility of early delivery, though nothing could truly prepare us for what September would bring.
On September 5th, I went in for a routine appointment feeling unusually sick and nauseated. By the next morning, we were being induced. At 34 weeks and 5 days, our boys - Nathaniel and Peter - entered the world. They were tiny but strong. Peter needed CPAP support, and both boys were quickly whisked to the NICU, where they spent the next ten days fighting, growing, and teaching us all what resilience truly looks like.
Those ten days were some of the hardest of our lives.
At home, my older boys were missing their mom terribly. I felt torn between two worlds - my newborns in the hospital and my little ones waiting for me at home. We were exhausted. We were scared. And financially, we were feeling the strain of suddenly needing double of everything for two premature babies - bassinet sleepers, supplies, special feeding items… things we simply hadn’t been able to prepare for.
Then, in the middle of all this stress, came something we never expected: an answered prayer.
A St. Luke’s social worker - someone I already knew - heard about our situation and told us about the Variety Compassion Fund. At a moment when we were stretched thin and running on fumes, this fund stepped in to help us get the essential items our twins needed to come home safely.
I still get emotional thinking about it.
People who didn’t even know us - people who may never meet us - were caring for our boys. Their generosity lifted a weight off our shoulders that we didn’t know how to carry anymore.
I often think about families who have even less than we do, who face these moments with even greater hardship. And I can tell you this with complete honesty:
Your donations change lives.
They bring relief when parents are drowning in worry.
They offer hope in moments overshadowed by fear.
They ensure babies - tiny, fragile, precious - go home to a safe, prepared place.
To those who have already given: thank you. Your compassion touched our family in a way we will never forget.
And to those considering a donation to the Compassion Fund:
You have the power to ease burdens that you can’t even imagine. You have the power to give families like mine a moment of breath, a moment of peace, a moment of grace during the scariest days of their lives.
From the bottom of my heart - thank you for caring.
– Renee, mom to Daniel, Theo, Nathaniel, and Peter
