Ansel's Highland Hope Walk
A nonprofit fundraiser supporting
Love for LilyWe are walking 96 miles through Scotland to support Love for Lily and their work with NICU families
$2,194
raised by 15 people
$10,000 goal
5 months left
🎁 Amazing Birthday Present!
Today, I received one of the coolest gifts ever...you all got our donations 15% of the way to our goal! It amazes me so much that we have raised over $1500 in just 4 days!
That amount could do any one of the following:
- Fill 30 essential bags for new NICU families (Essential Bags offer comfort to families in the NICU. From a journal to take notes during important medical briefs to lotion, a toothbrush, and other items of self-care while being displaced)
- Fund an Appreciation Station for almost 4 years! (Provide stress relief, refreshments and inspiration to caregivers for a quarter.. Mental Health for care providers is critical to preventing burnout, enhancing emotional resilience, and improving the care provided. )
- Fund Family Support Programs for 3 weeks (Directly impacts in-unit mamas, NICU dads, families, post-NICU mamas, and mamas 1+ years post-discharge)
Thank you all from the bottom of our hearts. Your generosity is going to make such a difference in so many lives.
With so much love,
Josh, Brittany, Callan, and Ansel
In April of 2024, we welcomed our beautiful Ansel into this world, and in the blink of an eye, our routine pregnancy ended and our far-from-routine medical journey began.
After 50 days in 5 hospitals and 3 NICUs, Ansel found the strength to finally come home with us for good. While Ansel's strength is a direct result of the work of his doctors and nurses, our strength came from the love and support of our community.
During those 50 days, I passed a sign at the nurse's station countless times before I actually found the energy to read it: "Love for Lily support groups," or something like that. I shared it with Brittany and not long after, a Mothers Day gift from that Love for Lily group appeared...and even on Fathers Day, Love for Lily pulled through, making sure I was honored, as well.
These seemingly small gestures made a huge impact in our lives. We felt seen and not completely alone. And for others like us, Love for Lily reaches out in BIG ways like grants to cover medical bills, nurse and medical team trainings, and bereavement programs. Love for Lily is such a beautiful organization, serving NICU families across multiple hospitals in Colorado.
While our family is still navigating Ansel's medical journey, we feel as if we've made it to the other side of the hill...that we are no longer walking through our NICU nightmare. But as we look back at our journey, we've realized that we can extend our hand to those still in it. We've received so much love and support that we actually have a surplus that we need to share.
This summer, we will be walking 96 miles across Scotland on the West Highland Way. This symbolic journey will be for awareness and for hope for those with children in the NICU. If you'd like to support Ansel and our family, please instead pass it on to other families who might have a similar story in the form of a monetary donation to Love for Lily. We encourage you to make a donation for each mile of our walk:
- $.25/mile = $24
- $.50/mile = $48
- $1/mile = $96
- $2/mile = $192
- Or any amount you feel compelled to give...nothing is too small!
Thank you so much for your generosity and support for NICU babies like Ansel. We look forward to seeing all that your support will do for the NICU community and we look forward to sharing our West Highland Way story with you soon!
-Josh & Brittany Brink