Sep 27, 2008 2:23 pm US/Eastern
Family Gives Back To Hospital That Saved Their Son
BOSTON (WBZ) ―
This weekend is a time to say thanks for one Norwell family with a lot to be thankful for, because their son is alive in well. That's in part because of the care he received at Children's Hospital Boston.
You'd never know to look at him what a tough fight he had from the moment he was born.
Today he is happy and healthy and at 22 months, Will Reilly seems like any other active little boy. But he has defied the odds in a big way.
When his mother Alexis was just 27 weeks pregnant, something went wrong. "I was just feeling really bad. I couldn't sleep, I couldn't eat, and I had this strange pain right above the baby," she says.
Will was born 13 weeks premature after an emergency c-section at Brigham and Women's Hospital. At first he did well, but when complications with his digestion developed, he was rushed to Children's Hospital for emergency surgery. "One doctor on duty that day told us, a dead bowel is what they called it, which a lot of times causes this...isn't sustainable to life," says Alexis Reilly.
It would become four surgeries and many days at the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at Children's...the NICU.
But Will is a fighter. Alexis knew he had turned the corner when a nurse told her he was breathing on his own. "From that point on it was never, is Will going to survive, it was when is he coming home," she remembers.
And she credits Children's Hospital for the excellent care Will received. "They're the best in the whole world," she says.
The Reilly's have nothing but gratitude and praise for the hospitals that helped their little boy. And to give back, they've organized "Peddling for Preemies," a bike ride to raise money for both hospitals. This is the second year they've done it. The money will go to each hospital's NICU.
The Reilly's are hoping to raise $100,000. Some people will ride 50 miles, others will go 100 miles.
If you want to support them go to
Giving to Children's.
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