Ryder Jay Plante was born at 23 weeks and 2 days. He was given a less than 10% chance of survival and we were told he could be blind, deaf, and have some form of Cerebral Palsy. He was born weighing 1lb 6oz (610g). Ryder was on a Ventilator that breathed for him for 3.5 months. He was in the NICU in El Paso for 6 months. He fought long and hard with the help of Doctors, machines, tests, and nurses attending him 24 hrs a day. He came home after 6 months in the NICU with Oxygen, a feeding tube, Caffeine, Potassium, and many more medications. The point is…He came home. This was a life changing event. We had a loss the year before on the same exact date at the same gestational age. We knew there were more like us. We knew there were not enough resources and help for families like us. We knew we had to do something. The Wee Warriors Project was created for every NM baby that fights for their lives right at birth, and many times, even longer. We provide supports, information, and peer support for the families that care for them and also the entities that support the babies and their families. This includes NICUs, Clinics, and nurses.
