Miracle Babies

Charity begins at home. This statement is especially true for Dr. Sean Daneshmand and his family.

On Dec. 31, 2002, his wife Marjan gave birth to their daughter Natalie at just 34 weeks of gestation. Daneshmand has been practicing neonatal-perinatal medicine and pediatrics for more than a decade, and over this time has witnessed the physical and emotional turmoil women and families faced with high-risk pregnancy.

Photo by Robin Wood

And at 30 weeks into his wife’s pregnancy, the all-too-familiar occurrences he had with his patients hit close to home. Mrs. Daneshmand learned she had a complication called placental abruption, a condition where placenta separates from the uterine wall. After weeks of hospital stays and the state of both mother’s and daughter’s health up in the air, everyone was able to catch a break. Natalie’s birth was a resounding success.

Following the birth of their daughter, the Daneshmands founded Miracle Babies, a nonprofit that provides assistance and support to newborns in intensive care and their families in need. The organization supplies financial assistance and support to families with newborns in the neo-natal intensive-care unit (NICU) and enhances the wellbeing of women, children and their families through education, prevention and medical care. The opportunity to assist these families with the help they need resulted in Sean Daneshmand being named a "CNN Hero".

Miracle Babies has drawn national recognition as well. In January of this year Dean McDermott—most notable for co-starring with his wife Tori Spelling in their reality show "Tori & Dean: Inn Love"—competed against seven other celebrities on Food Network’s "Rachael vs. Guy: Celebrity Cook-Off." McDermott chose to compete for Miracle Babies because the couple gave birth to a miracle baby of their own. They faced difficulties with Tori’s pregnancy of their fourth child, Finn, who was born three weeks early. The experience made McDermott want to compete not only for his son, but for babies and their families involved in the same situation. Dean went on to win the competition, earning $50,000 for the charity.

This month, Leonard Simpson’s 6th Annual 10 Best Dressed Awards, a gala that celebrates philanthropists who dress every day with "the gloves of compassion and a coat of courage," will benefit Miracle Babies. Leonard Simpson is a red carpet guru and founder of the world-renowned fashion production company Fashion Forward. Held on Thursday, Nov. 21, at the Hilton La Jolla Torrey Pines, the gala will highlight the award ceremony, as well as a formal seated dinner, dancing and a live auction.

The work Miracle Babies does greatly benefits the families the charity encounters. It aims to become the nation’s premier non-profit resource for NICU patients and their families. The organization is maintained by volunteers, many of which are parents of prematurely born children. Miracle Babies urges others to get involved as well, either through volunteering or making a donation. To learn more, visit miraclebabies.org.