Sofie's Story

Images captured by Mellissa Receveur Photography

If you could measure hope on a scale, then darling, little Sofie would have weighed in at much more than her 586 gram birth weight! Sofie was born 16 weeks premature but started her fight for life much earlier than that. At 22 weeks gestation, her mother started to dilate, and three days later, her water broke. Sofie's parents were told that there was no hope. She showed them all that it was up to her! She hung on for nine more days and was born via C-Section at 24 weeks. She went on to amaze everyone during her 140 day stay in NICU, with her tenacious personality being exhibited while she was pulling out her breathing tube and feeding tubes. I can just hear her at two years old telling everyone, "I can do it myself!”


So at her corrected age of five months, this Tiny Light has fought her way through three months on a respirator, a round of antibiotics, fives blood transfusions and numerous X-rays. She has passed the hearing test, avoided laser eye surgery after a worrisome bleed, and has taken well to nursing and the bottle. It’s no wonder this little spark brings smiles to everyone she meets! Who can resist a girl with spunk?


Grateful for the professional support they have had, her parents wish to remind other parents that while in the hospital, “you are your child’s voice – stand up for them by being informed and strong."


Sofie's mother hardly dared hope for the life of her little one before her birth. Now Sofie shows her that there can always be hope. She inspires her Mother with a strong will and determination to fight for each milestone. Sofie's Mom says, “You can never have a bad day or feel sorry for yourself when you just have to look at her and see a beautiful happy girl who grows in front of your eyes; smiling, happy, laughing, chatting and watching hockey with her Dad."


This amazing little fighter is not out of the ring yet, with a compromised immune system and a barrage of therapies to get through, her parents believe that, "the Sky is the Limit!"  They will continue to challenge and encourage her with hopes that their baby will grow up to be a "strong, bright, independent girl who has big goals and dreams." 


Story By Francis Cawley