Former NICU Baby Celebrates First Birthday

Meredith and Kenny Ard recently celebrated son Sutton’s first birthday following a long journey in the NICU. It was a bittersweet celebration as Sutton’s twin, Sawyer, did not survive as a result of twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome, a rare pregnancy condition. “In this particular syndrome, one infant ends up getting more of the blood and more of the nutrients than the other twin,” said Dr. Joshua Cooper, Pediatrix-affiliated neonatologist at Prisma Health Richland. “So that twin typically over time as the pregnancy progresses can get sicker.” Meredith has turned her pain into purpose by creating a book collection to donate to the NICU. “With these very small infants, and infants in general, when they have folks around them who talk to them, read to them and sing to them…those are the kids that have the best outcomes,” said Dr. Cooper. 

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