by: The Dirt
Yolo County parents Jennifer and Noah Canvasser launched the NEC Society—the world’s leading nonprofit advancing for necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) research, education, and advocacy—after tragically losing their son Micah to the disease just before his first birthday.
NEC is a life-threatening intestinal disease that affects medically fragile infants during their first weeks and months of life.
As avid runners, the Canvasser family has channelled that passion into fighting against NEC.
On April 20, Jennifer will run the Boston Marathon as a qualified runner in honor of Micah.
“Our son, Zachary, is a thriving 8th grader, and his twin brother, Micah, should be, too. But tragically, Micah developed necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC), spent months in the NICU and PICU, and then left this Earth just before the twins’ 1st birthday,” Jennifer writers on her fundraising website. “We only held Micah in our arms for 324 short days.”
She and her husband are also personally matching donations to the NEC Society up to $10,000 in honor of Micah during NEC Awareness Month.
YOLO Run
On May 16, the NEC Society will team up with UC Davis Children’s Hospital to host the second annual YOLO Run.
Locally, the UC Davis Children’s Hospital is where families go for lifesaving care for babies at risk of NEC.
YOLO Run offers 10K, 5K, and 2K walk/run options. Part of the funds raised will support NEC research at UC Davis Children’s Hospital.
