Please visit manningchildrens.org/givingtuesday to donate online and send a personalized message of hope before December 31!

Dear friends of

Manning Family Children’s,

With the holidays approaching, I find myself thinking of two years ago and how different things were for my family. We were in the second month of what would become a 10-month stay in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at Manning Family Children’s. Our fourth child, Margo, was born at only 25 weeks gestation and weighing barely one pound. She was initially admitted to the NICU of our local hospital in Lake Charles, but soon went from stable to extremely sick. She was airlifted to Manning Family Children’s at just 20 days old because she needed a higher level of care and the comprehensive pediatric surgery team only available at Children’s – and she needed it quickly.

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I don’t know if I’ll ever forget the feeling of handing her over to the flight team who came from Children’s to bring Margo to the lifesaving care she needed. The team was calm and comforting as they assured me that she was in good hands as they worked to bring my tiny baby, struggling to breathe, quickly to New Orleans. For the three and a half hour drive from Lake Charles, we worried that we were going to New Orleans to say goodbye, but when we arrived, neonatologist Dr. Brian Barkemeyer assured us that if Margo was fighting, her Manning Family Children’s care team would fight with her.

The next several months were a blur of surgeries and recovery, of struggles and resilience. I never imagined we would spend 10 months in the NICU, that her care team would become family, that a hospital could feel like home. I didn’t know that a place could support our whole family in the way we were supported. They took care of everything, not only for Margo, but for our three older children as well as my husband and me. I would walk into the NICU to find one of Margo’s doctors, or the CEO sitting in a chair rocking Margo. Everyone I passed knew our names and asked how we were doing. I knew we were surrounded by a team that was committed to caring for my child as their own. Last summer we gratefully brought Margo home – a gift of life and a future full of hope thanks to the care that she received at Manning Family Children’s.

No one ever wants to be in the hospital, especially during the holidays. But as strange as it sounds, Manning Family Children’s became our family, and they did everything possible to make the holidays special. From the decorations to the endless activities for children and families, the hospital was filled with joy and love. This spirit of joy and hope is possible thanks to the generosity of friends like you who are committed to making the holidays brighter for those who could use a little light and hope during unimaginably challenging times.

As we celebrate this year at home with our feisty, spirited, two-year-old daughter, I am grateful for the support that lifted us up during our scariest time. Words cannot adequately express my gratitude for the generosity that was shared with us, nor can they convey how much it meant to our family. In counting my blessings this holiday season, Manning Family Children’s and its community of supporters, are at the top of the list. Thank you for bringing light and love to families like mine.

With endless gratitude,

Savanna and Daniel Buller

Make the season Bright

Manning Family Children’s never stops. At this very moment, our dedicated caregivers are in our operating rooms, intensive care units and specialty clinics healing wounds, setting bones, treating the most complex illnesses and injuries, and saving lives. Every day, every season – Manning Family Children’s expertly cares for babies like Margo, and countless other children who need us most. For many kids, we serve as their home during the holiday season. And thanks to the generosity of friends like you, Manning Family Children’s welcomes and cares for all children, regardless of the severity of their illness or their family’s ability to pay.

Light Up The Season with: 

Hope

Give the gift of hope and make your best gift to our Kids Fund by
December 31. Your donation is 100% tax-deductible and will be put to work immediately to support the most pressing needs of our hospital, from purchasing life-saving equipment to funding cutting edge pediatric research.

Joy

Your gift can double the joy and impact – thanks to a generous gift from an anonymous donor. All donations made by December 31 will be matched – providing even more resources to bring joy to those spending the holidays in the hospital.

Love

Spread the love and inspire others to support Manning Family Children’s by sharing your message of hope on social media.

The best way to ensure your gift arrives in time for the holidays is to donate online at manningchildrens.org/givingtuesday or call 504.896.9375.

If you have already made your annual gift, we thank you for your generosity!