Greetings from Day Two of UCP Oregon's Toy Giveaway!

It's rainy and cold, but our Holiday Elves are feeling festive and ready to give away some awesome toys!

NOTE: This is a two-day even for families who are raising children who experience cerebral palsy or a related disability. Families pre-registered to receive free toys.

Special thanks to our shivering Chief Elf, Katherine Ball (Family Support Director).

As you probably know, we recently held an online chat with a UCP mom, Lenore Eklund, who wrote a book  (Release: A NICU Fairytale). Lenore discussed the process of dealing with NICU trauma.

The event went really well! It was attended by several UCP families, friends of families, and educators. Many different experiences and perspectives were shared.

Lenore said she woke up the next day feeling "so invigorated!"

Lenore added, "I think the conversation deepened the understanding of what families experience in the NICU. I also think the connections made between those in attendance will help grow the network of support that is so vital for this medical marathon most of us are on."

Even more exciting--Lenore said that there was talk about creating more space for releasing trauma through art. "It is something I'm really interested in, so I am looking forward to exploring more of this with the community."

Woo hoo! Thanks to Lenore for speaking, Katherine Ball for coordinating, and all the attendees!

1. How did Charlie end up in the NICU? 

About 10 days before I had Charlee, we learned she had excess spinal fluid causing a lot of pressure on her brain. We had to switch gears very fast and plan a c-section delivery up at OHSU. Charlee was born 3 weeks early.


2. What was your NICU experience like?

There was so much uncertainty around why the conditions were keeping her in the hospital. As our stay lengthened, we searched for answers to figure out why her oxygen saturations sporadically dropped, why she continually had bradycardic episodes, and why she was unable to eat by mouth. Medical providers had ideas of procedures and surgeries to try. Some of the ideas we were able to discuss together and dismiss. Some of the ideas made us feel backed into a corner. No one could tell us which decision was the right decision to make.


3. How did you end up coming up with your book idea?

During Charlee's second neurosurgery when she was just over a year old, a support worker gave me a care package that had some colored pencils and a sketchpad. I started drawing boats rolling in waves and happy suns playing in the clouds, but I made a comic about something that was really frustrating me about the hospital and that felt really, really good to get out. That's when I started on Charlee's birth story and our story of being in the NICU.


4. What was the process of writing it like?

The graphic novel was also about releasing all of my feelings of anger, overwhelm and uncertainty. The act of making this book was about sending those feelings through my body and out onto paper. It was something I could spend hours in the evening doing after Charlee went to bed or on busy days, a couple minutes between running laundry and starting a feed.


5. What are your hopes for the book and/or the people reading it?

By releasing this story through publication, it is my hope the story will provide a conversation around preventing unnecessary NICU and hospital trauma, supporting families through medical crises and healing unresolved emotions.

Hey, guess what! One of the moms in our Family Support Department, Lenore Eklund, recently published a book! Way to go, Lenore!

We hope you'll join us in celebrating Lenore and her book, during a virtual event on October 7th.

Lenore will give us a virtual tour of her book, "Release: A NICU Fairytale." She'll also be discussing how to process NICU trauma through art.

This is a free event (held online via Zoom), but you must RSVP to participate.

​PS: All participants will have the chance to win a free copy of the book!

Did you know that UCP Oregon has a Support Group? We do! It's called 
Gimme A Break" (GAB).

GAB is open to all Oregon & SW Washington families who are raising a child with any disability.

GAB has always met in the evenings. But, due to popular demand, we've added a new DAYTIME GAB!

Our first Daytime GAB will be held on Wednesday, April 21 at 11am.​

Woo hoo! This weekend, we held our first ever Drive-Thru Toy Giveaway, and it was... AWESOME!

Thanks to Santa, all the elves, and, most especially, our Family Support Director, Katherine Ball, for all their hard work!

We'll be sharing more pics soon.
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In the meantime, here's a great pic from today. Katherine is spending the day delivering toys and joy to the families that couldn't make it to the event.