By NATHAN KING
Salina Post
LINDSBORG — Incubators, plastic hospital bassinets, and a singular rocking chair — that is a scene most mothers of premature babies are all too familiar with. In the United States, 1 in every 10 babies is born premature.
Vaiden Allbright from Assaria, is honoring her children, who were premature, and creating awareness by hosting a Fight like a Preemie 5k Walk/Run on Nov. 12 at the Valkommen Trail in Lindsborg.
"Both of my babies were born early and my daughter was born at 33 weeks and 6 days," Allbright said. "She's healthy, strong and doing good now."
Brecken Robert, Allbright's son, was born on Sept. 11, 2021, 33 weeks and six days premature at the Wesley Medical Center in Wichita.
"We spent probably a month at Wesley in the NICU with my son," Allbright said. "Then we got out and he was home for about a month and then went back for a couple days because he had Influenza A and Rhino virus. On the 26th of November we took him to the ER here in Salina because he was having apneic spells and he would stop breathing."
Brecken passed away Dec. 14, 2021, due to complications relating to SIDS. The Fight like a Preemie 5k is in his honor.
Fighting like a Preemie 5k: Ronald McDonald House Charities
Registration for the Fight Like a Preemie 5k starts at 8:15 a.m. on Nov. 12 at the Valkommen Trail in Lindsborg, Kansas. There will be a $19 registration fee. All proceeds will go to The Ronald McDonald House Charities.
While the organization does not administer medical care, Ronald McDonald House does keep millions of children and families close to the critical care they need - and to each other.
"Ronald McDonald House says that it costs $100 to put a family in a room and feed them for one night," Allbright said. "If I can do that times 10, that is 10 nights for a single family to stay there."
Vaiden and her husband spent a month at the Ronald McDonald House while their son received treatment at Wesley.
"As someone who has stayed in a Ronald McDonald House, and seeing how hard they work to keep all those families as happy as they can—it's definitely a good charity," Allbright said. "You can go on their website and donate, right now from your account if you wanted to."
For more information about the Fight Like a Preemie 5k contact Vaiden Allbright at (785) 577-0083