WALK FOR ANGELS
Pair join grieving premmie parents
LOSING their first child just two weeks after he was born almost broke the Strogusz family, but they were determined not to let their loss define them.
Samantha Strogusz was rushed into an emergency room on the Gold Coast on August 8, 2018, where she gave birth to Jayden, at just 23 weeks and four days old.
He weighed 745g. After two weeks in the neonatal intensive care unit, he opened his eyes for the first time and took his last breath.
The loss has forever changed the lives of Townsville couple Samantha and Josh. It pushed them to their limits, but they are determined to not let the loss break them.
Doctors told the couple Jayden’s lungs had not developed properly.
“They said the next 48 hours were going to be the hardest of our lives,” Mrs Strogusz said.
“He was absolutely gorgeous. He fought so hard and proved the doctors wrong for the first week.”
In his second week, Mrs Strogusz said she realised how serious Jayden’s underdeveloped lungs were.
On his final day, the couple were able to bath their baby for the first time, a memory Mrs Strogusz said she would cherish forever.
Later that day, Jayden opened his eyes, looked up at his parents and passed away.
With their second-born Lottie in tow, the couple will walk together on Sunday to commemorate Jayden’s life.
The annual Life’s Little Treasures Walk for Prems is a fundraiser dedicated to supporting families with babies born sick or early. This year’s commemoration will be a little different, with participants encouraged to organise their own walks instead of the usual group parade.
Mrs Strogusz said seeing the community come together helped her grieve Jayden’s loss.
YOU CAN REGISTER AND FUNDRAISE FOR THIS YEAR’S WALK FOR PREMS ONLINE AT WALKFORPREMS.ORG.AU.