Honoring Auden

Kelly Sanchez / 2025 NEC Awareness Month

The NEC Society's mission means a great deal to me, and I hope you can join me in supporting their urgent mission to protect babies from necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC). Our daughter Auden tragically passed away at just six days old due to NEC. Our other two daughters, Arlow and Evren, were also diagnosed with NEC but thankfully were able to overcome the disease. This cruel disease is one of the leading causes of death in NICUs and the most common and serious gastrointestinal disease affecting newborns. Yet, few people outside the NICU have heard of the disease. Up to 30% of the babies who develop NEC will die, and survivors often face life-long health challenges. Right now, there is no cure for NEC. That is unacceptable with more than one baby per day dying from complications of this disease.