Meet Effervescent Elijah! Our CMN Miracle Family of the Month October 2024

Elijah is now 8 years old but his entry into the world was pretty scary for his parents.

When this sweet October baby was born, he was rushed over to the NICU (Neonatal Intensive Care Unit) because his lungs were lacking a lot of oxygen.

Thanks to the loving care he received over the next three weeks of his life in the NICU, Elijah and his parents were able to leave the hospital with a genetic diagnosis for Downs Syndrome and a ton of resources and emotional support from staff and volunteers at Children's Village and Yakima Valley Memorial Hospital.

One of the best resources his parents, Tempa and Ryan, were able to get from Children's Village was the Parent-to-Parent group. It allows parents to find others who are (and have already) gone through the emotional upheaval some experience when dealing with a child who needs critical therapy services to survive.

You can only imagine the emotional toll Ryan and Tempa were feeling, and with the parent volunteers who help run Parent to Parent, what a reassuring comfort that must have been for them.

So many parents are leaning on support from Children's Village and each other during those difficult moments of worry, grief, and stress. This facility was built with a huge effort from private and local donations from people like you and me!

The Memorial Foundation

The Memorial Foundation endeavors to make sure that all families in Central Washington have access to get their kids the occupational and physical therapies they need for whatever medical condition they are in. They want parents to have local access to specialized providers so that they don't have to travel far to medical clinics in Seattle or the Tri-Cities.

It costs money to pay for these providers to be available at Children's Village, and sometimes medical services aren't covered by insurance, so the Memorial Foundation makes the magic happen behind the scenes. We are so grateful for their generosity and dedication!

This year, our annual Children's Miracle Network Radiothon is happening Friday, October 11th, from 6 in the morning to 6 in the evening. We are so excited to share with you the latest stories from local families who are so grateful for what the Memorial Foundation has been able to help provide to Yakima County and beyond!

Your local donations will help make dreams come true for families like Ellijah.

"Elijah and his family continue to feel so grateful to have these specialized services in our Valley, as they have brought peace, healing, and growth in a great time of confusion and fear." - Memorial Foundation

On Friday, October 11th from 6 am to 6 pm, you can call the Radiothon phone bank at 573-3888 to make your donation! We'll be broadcasting live at our radio station lobby, so you can stop by in person if you want to bring cash or checks! We're located at 4010 Summitview Ave in Yakima.

All money raised by the Memorial Foundation stays right here to help out children in Central Washington.