Helping families navigate the NICU Journey, one miracle at a time.
About Our Founders
In 2010, Martha and Paul Sharkey joyfully discovered they were expecting twins. Their excitement was palpable, envisioning a future with their two new additions, due in the spring of 2011. However, their journey took a dramatic shift in November 2010, when Martha was urgently admitted to the hospital at just 23 weeks pregnant. Facing a situation they never imagined, they braced themselves for an early arrival, preparing to celebrate the holidays in the hospital, nurturing hope for their twins' safe entry into the world.
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Early Arrivals
The twins, Claire Josephine and Mary Gladys, were born over 16 weeks early, on November 14, 2010, plunging the Sharkeys into the uncharted waters of the NICU. Here, amidst the beeps of machines and the soft whispers of nurses, they learned the realities of parenting in this delicate world. Each touch through the isolette's tiny openings, each tiny grasp of their babies' fingers, was a testament to their love and hope amidst fear and uncertainty.
Ups and Downs are part of the journey.
The NICU journey was a rollercoaster of emotions, with hopeful highs and devastating lows. Early on, they were confronted with the heart-wrenching loss of Mary, who passed away due to complications of prematurity. This tragedy was a profound blow, yet they found the strength to continue their vigil beside Claire's isolette. Due to her traumatic birth, Claire suffered bilateral grades 3 and 4 brain bleeds. They learned that Claire may not be able to walk or talk and could have significant deficits if she survived. But day after day, they watched Claire slowly learn how to breathe without a respirator, gain weight, feed from a bottle, move out of an isolette, and gradually improve.
The phrase that stuck with them.
Each day that they heard "Today is a Good Day" for Claire was a celebration, a milestone in her fight for life. This phrase became a beacon of hope, propelling them forward, until the joyful day of Claire's graduation from the NICU. Today, Claire shines as a vibrant, caring teenager, her life a beautiful tribute to the journey and the sister she never knew.
The Sharkeys' experience in the NICU, marked by both profound loss and inspiring resilience, ignited a passion to support others on similar paths. In 2014, they founded 'Today is a Good Day,' driven by their personal story and the desire to provide a haven of support for families navigating the NICU. Their story, rich with heartache and hope, continues to inspire and guide the mission of 'Today is a Good Day,' offering a ray of light to families in their most vulnerable moments.
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