NEW BERLIN–A community relies together to help support a family that’s lost a child to hydrops. Hydrops Fetalis is a condition that affects 1 in 1,000 births. There are two types, immune hydrops and nonimmune which is the most common. There is a 60 to 90% mortality rate with nonimmune hydrops. Megan Martinez has shared her story through facebook and other forms of social media to spread the word about this life threatening condition. “So much more research is needed in order to find more effective ways of fighting this devastating condition, and that is what Katherine Yudeh King, MD PhD is working on. March of Dimes has already given her a grant of $150,000 to further her research on this matter, and Hope For Hydrops wishes to match that! As a result, a group of moms around the country have come together to form Hope for Hydrops. We are currently partnering with March of Dimes to raise money and awareness for this life threatening condition”, said Martinez. To date, “we have raised over $13k in the name of Hydrops and hope to keep the momentum going. My team (team utica) will be walking in the March for Babies walk on May 20th in Utica. And as a way to reach our personal goal of $1500.” added Marinez.
With numerous donations including sauce for the spaghetti provided by The New York Pizzeria, rolls from Romas in Sidney, Tuller’s catering for donating salad dressing and utensils and and Stewart’s convenience store, who will be donating ice cream. The Spaghetti Dinner will be on April 1 at the New Berlin Fire house from 4:30-7 p.m., adult tickets are $10, children are $5 and the option to dine in or take out is available. All proceeds will benefit the Hope for Hydrops foundation and the night will also include a 50/50 raffle and Gilligan’s gift cards being raffled off as well as two handmade baby blankets that were donated.
Anyone willing to donate can go to my March for Babies site at www.marchforbabies.org/teamuticahopeforhydrops. For more information please visit their facebook page at teamuticahopeforhydrops