1 pound, 10 ounces. That is all Hailey weighed at birth.

After a complicated pregnancy, Jennifer’s little miracle came prematurely at 26 weeks. Hailey immediately was transferred to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at SSM Health Cardinal Glennon Children’s Hospital for her best chance of survival.

In her first few months of life, Hailey developed klebsiella pneumonia, along with bronchopulmonary dysplasia, a form of chronic lung disease. Hailey’s tiny body was fighting hard, yet she continued to decline.

“Her doctors told me she needed an emergency tracheotomy. It would be a risky surgery, but I couldn’t give up on her. I had to put my faith and trust in her Cardinal Glennon team,” says Hailey’s mom, Jennifer. Thankfully, our skilled physicians performed her surgery and gave Hailey another chance at life. After 277 long days, she left SSM Health Cardinal Glennon and started the next chapter of her healing.