My Story

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 Jessica Lupita Jara was born with her angel wings on July 1st, 2014 at 27 weeks gestation. This was my first pregnancy and my husband and I were shocked and thrilled to be expecting! At 22 weeks along, after a few ultrasounds, we were given a grim prognosis, yet held onto that 1% chance the Doctors gave our baby. She was suffering from a severe case of IUGR (intra-uterine growth restriction), which likely was happening from my very high blood pressure going undetected during the first trimester. Blood-flow through the placenta was intermittent, absent, and even reversed at times, which meant she was not getting the nutrients she needed to grow.  At the 27 week scan we heard the words nobody wants to hear "I'm sorry, there is no heartbeat". Our hearts were broken in every way possible. Two days later, we left the hospital with a book of funeral homes to choose from instead of our baby. In the weeks following, as we tried to understand and adjust to what had just happened, the medical bills started coming in, totaling about $5k. Bills from the Doctors, the hospital and the Funeral Home. I ignored the bills for months because my mind couldn't go there, and when I finally had to deal with the collection agencies, it made me think "this is how everyone who has asked to help could have helped me". Aside from bringing our baby back to life, the only other thing possible would be to help eliminate these bills, and that is when "Love, Jessica" was born. 

After a long three months later, I was pregnant again! The excitement and nerves started immediately, but before the first doctor's appointment, the miscarriage had started and ended. They called it a chemical pregnancy and suggested it was very common. 

As we all know, life continues, and doesn't wait for anyone. Over the next 3 years, we were blessed with 2 healthy babies in 2015 and 2017 and they have kept us busy! "Love, Jessica" was put on the back-burner, but never forgotten. We decided to try for one more child, and were pregnant again in early 2019!  At my 16 week appointment, with a healthy pregnancy to date, we heard those words again "I'm sorry, there is no heartbeat". This time was different, our hearts were broken, but we had to pick up the pieces right away for our other 2 children at home. The D&C surgery was done the next day, and that was that, on with the summer, as if the pregnancy never happened. Again, a few weeks later, the bills started to arrive. About $3k later, I was re-invigorated to start this organization and help other families. We were blessed with our 3rd child in May of 2020, and with our family now complete, now is the time to make this dream of mine a reality! Our baby Jessica's memory will live on forever through the families this Organization is able to reach! 

Click the link below to read more of our story in the Today Parents article.