We are hearing a lot in the media about the set of octuplets that was born a few days ago in California. To a single mom. Who already had six kids, and apparently an addiction of sorts to having them. I am going to ask you to forget about the stigma attached to that story for a moment while I tell you about another family with multiples.
This is Adwai Mulual and her quintuplets, born in December. Adwai is a 28-year-old married bank teller from Sudan. She was surprised when her doctor in Sudan told her that in her first pregnancy, she was carrying “three or four babies” – he couldn’t be sure – and that she needed to go to the United States if she wanted her children to have a chance to survive the pregnancy. Because Adwai’s mother-in-law lived in the States, she took the opportunity to meet her and officially seek her blessing, as is the Sudanese custom. A few weeks after arriving in the US, at about 19 weeks pregnant, she became ill and was hospitalized. It was then that an ultrasound was performed revealing that she was actually carrying naturally-conceived QUINTUPLETS! Can you imagine??
Her four girls and one boy were delivered, small but healthy, in December. But now Adwai is all alone in a strange country (though her mother is here for a visit currently), where she must stay at least for a while to get the medical care her children need. Her husband is in the Sudanese army and has not yet been able to get leave and meet his children. And she needs our help. Mandi and Tara have started an initiative to help the Mulual family over at the One Dollar Give. From their post:
“At this time, although many offers of help were promised in the days after the baby’s birth, they have not received much at all. They currently go through about 40 diapers a day! I cannot even imagine the fear and worry that Adwai faces, as well as the exhaustion of caring for her beautiful children. We’re working to get in touch with any and all PR representatives we know who work with baby care companies to get this story in front of the right people.”
Please, please visit the One Dollar Give to find out how you can help! Current options include ordering diapers for them from the Amazon registry Mandi set up for them and mailing a check to a church that is coordinating a local effort relief, but the option to donate by PayPal is coming soon! Please stay tuned!
So far GRACO has come through and donated five car seats to the family. YAY GRACO!!!!!! Will more companies step forward to help? Diaper company? Baby care? Clothing? Formula?? I can only hope so!
In the meantime, let’s do what we can! Please visit the One Dollar Give for more information.
