Mackenzie Price Bowers is a happy, healthy 5-year-old miracle to her parents, Nicole and Anthony Bowers.
She endured health and heart issues and faced many hurdles while in the hospital since the Yarmouth toddler was born at just 34 weeks gestation. Mackenzie has overcome so much in a short period of time, like so many babies born prematurely.
Every day, thousands of babies are born too soon, too small and often very sick. Nicole Bowers knows first-hand the challenges parents and their babies face – not only was Mackenzie born too early but so was her little sister, Delaney.
Nicole’s own experiences have motivated her to help others in similar situations. That’s why she will walk again this year in the March for Babies, hosted by the March of Dimes, on June 23 along the Cape Cod Canal. The mission of the March of Dimes is to improve the health of babies by
supporting medical research to prevent birth defects, premature births and improving infant mortality.
In 2008, Nicole’s water suddenly broke and she went into premature labor with Mackenzie. She was rushed from the Cape to Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston and while in the ambulance Nicole became nearly fully dilated. “I nearly gave birth by the time I reached the hospital,”
Nicole recalls who is a credit analyst at Bank of Cape Cod in Hyannis. “Mackenzie spent almost a month at Brigham and Women’s hospital and endured a lot medically. But she has overcome many health issues and is our healthy, happy 5-year-old miracle.”
Less than a year and a half later in 2009, Nicole went into labor with Delaney – at a mere 23 weeks gestation. At 23 weeks, premature babies have a very small chance of survival. Doctors told Nicole and Anthony, who is an attorney with a practice in Falmouth, they would do what they could to stop the labor, which they did. Nicole spent the next 10 weeks on bed rest, undergoing several procedures to delay Delaney’s arrival. On Oct. 23, 2009, Nicole gave birth to a 4.3-pound Delaney at 33 weeks. Delaney, too, spent a month in the hospital overcoming her own health issues and is now 3 ½ and the Bowers’ second miracle.
Next week, happy and healthy Mackenzie graduates from The Rocking Unicorn Nursery School on Main Street in Chatham and her sister Delaney will go there next year.
Their mom is incredibly grateful given their difficult start
in life.
“Their births were the most frightening experiences that Anthony and I have ever experienced and I still don’t know why or how to prevent it from happening again,” Nicole said. “I’m walking because I want to do something about this. And I need your help.”
You can support Nicole’s walk, by making a secure donation when you log on to http://www.marchforbabies.org/delmac33.
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