On World Prematurity Day, we want to share a remarkable update on Baby Athena, a true fighter who has been defying the odds from the very beginning.

Before she was even conceived, Athena's mom, Keara, was told that pregnancy wasn't in her cards. But then came Athena, a miracle in the making. Despite facing challenges like a Christmas morning labor and a premature birth on December 30th, weighing only 1 pound, 3 ounces, Athena proved to be a resilient warrior.

During her 161 days in the NICU, Athena conquered four infections, including meningitis, and survived a brain bleed. Intubated for 46 days and on CPAP for 62 days, she gradually grew from 1 pound, 3 ounces to a thriving 8 pounds, 12 ounces. With the support of Red Mountain Grace, Athena's family found solace in a space of their own, crucial for their well-being.

Fast forward to today, Athena is about to turn 11 months old, 7 months adjusted. She's a vibrant 16 pounds and 22 inches long, proudly hitting 8% on the growth chart! We're thrilled to share that Athena is making incredible strides, recently starting to wean off oxygen during the day, with plans to be off completely before her first birthday.

Athena is working on crawling - her scooting and rolling show she's on the move! Remarkably, she's experiencing zero developmental delays, had successful eye surgery for retinopathy of prematurity, and even had a lip and tongue tie clipped to make feeding easier. Athena fought off RSV at home without hospitalization — proof that she is not just surviving but thriving.

Keara is so proud of Athena. "It amazes me every time I look at her birthday pictures, how big she is. There was a time in her life we couldn’t even imagine being home, and now she’s here and thriving. She's our miracle, the hardest thing we've ever done, and the best thing that has ever happened to us."

As we celebrate World Prematurity Day, we honor Baby Athena, a true miracle, and her family. We will continue to support and celebrate the strength of preemies and their families.