Maxwell was born in July 2021 with moderate/severe HIE. He was born blue and needed to be resuscitated. After 15 minutes he was intubated and after 22 minutes he had a heartbeat. Since that first day, Max has been a fighter! He received secondary diagnoses of bilateral sensorineural hearing loss and cerebral palsy as a result of his birth injury, which are just two of the many common secondary diagnoses that kiddos with HIE sometimes sustain from the injury to their brain. HIE can present as virtually unaffected to severely affected and can lead to death, depending on the injury. No two brain injuries are identical and no two outcomes are the same.
Hope for HIE is an international organization that connects families and children with HIE from all over the world. The resources were very limited when we first brought Max home, but once we found Hope for HIE, we didn't feel so alone in our journey to navigating parenthood with a disabled child. The work they do is incredible and donations help families like ours feel connected, but also more prepared to advocate for our children in all areas of life. They've given us the tools, language, and knowledge to support Max and his needs. Hope for HIE has absolutely made us better parents and we are so grateful this nonprofit exists.
