Tourney helps RI's smallest & sickest

BARRINGTON, R.I. (WPRI) - The charities supported by the CVS Caremark Charity Classic help thousands of people in Rhode Island and Massachusetts every year.

The Neonatal Intensive Care Unit ( NICU) at Women and Infants Hospital is another cause which benefits from the annual golf tournament. 

Last year, Samuel Lubold was fighting for his life.

"He was born 13-and-a-half weeks early," said Samuel's mom Shanna.

Samuel was a twin, but when complications struck, so did tragedy. His brother didn't survive and Samuel was in desperate need of care.

"We went from the joy of expecting two boys and then all of the sudden, one passed away and we didn't know if he would survive," said Samuel's dad Michael.

Samuel spent 94 days in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at Women and Infants Hospital.

"Our first day in the NICU, Samuel was ventilated and required round the clock oxygen," Shanna said. "He had tubes coming from everywhere on his body."

"Every moment of the day we were there or we were thinking about Samuel or calling to see how he was," Michael stated.

During that time, Samuel received several life-saving treatments.

"If it wasn't for the March of Dimes those little lungs probably would've never opened and worked."

The Family Support Specialist Program at Women and Infants gave Samuel's parents something too.

"When we were in a time of complete and utter sadness we were given hope," his mother said.

More than 1,500 families like the Lubolds come through the NICU every year and the Family Support Program provides them with education and emotional support during such a difficult time.

"They were able to provide us with more information and comfort and just to let us know that we're not alone," Shanna said.

"It's really important that people understand while it's a place that nobody ever wants to go, the NICU Family Support Program with the March of Dimes is making it a place that families never want to lose."

Money from the CVS Classic will be used to fund a staff person for a year, to help even more babies and local families.