Meet Champion, Norah

Norah’s fight for life began before birth. She and her twin sister, Iris, were diagnosed with Twin-to-Twin Transfusion Syndrome, with Norah as the “donor” twin, sending most of her nutrients to Iris. After fetal surgery to stop the imbalance, Iris passed at 23 weeks, and Norah worked to grow stronger until she was born at 27 weeks. She was diagnosed with mild ventriculomegaly, caused by the inequal nutrient share during pregnancy. In Lauren Small Children’s Center’s neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), Norah’s biggest challenges were slow weight gain and feeding difficulties, leading to apnea episodes. Her care team worked tirelessly to create nutrient-dense feedings to help her grow. Now just over a year old, Norah is happy and healthy, though still working to gain weight. She attends regular appointments with physical therapy, neurology, and high-risk specialists, a powerful reminder of how far she’s come and will continue to go.