Bay Area family hopes to help others overcome challenges of premature births
Bay Area family enters 'Dare to Dream Challenge'
FOX 13’s Jennifer Kveglis spoke with a Bay Area family that has overcome many obstacles after two of their children were born prematurely – and now they’ve entered a big giveaway known as the Dare to Dream Challenge, hoping to spread their knowledge and support other families.
RIVERVIEW, Fla. - A Riverview family with two premature babies entered a contest to fund their dream of helping other families going through similar situations.
The backstory:
Amber and Andrew Vassell know the HCA Florida Brandon NICU like the back of their hands.
"It's honestly something I would never wish on any parent," Andrew said. "To not be able to take your child home is something that is very challenging."

Amber and Andrew Vassell hope to win a contest that would allow them to help other families dealing with premature births. (Courtesy: The Vassell family.)
Since early September, when their third child, Aaliyah, was born, they've developed a routine.
"Nobody expects your child to be in the hospital for five months," he said. "Traveling back and forth to the hospital every day, sometimes twice a day."
Aaliyah was born at just 26 weeks old, weighing 1 pound, 6 ounces. Their second born, Austen, shares a similar story: delivered at 25 weeks and in the NICU for 118 days.

Two of Amber and Andrew Vassell's children were born prematurely and spent months in the NICU. (Courtesy: The Vassell family.)
"It's something that no one prepares you for," Amber said.
Through it all, Amber and Andrew remained unified and positive in their partnership.
"We knew that she was going to make it. We knew that he was going to make it," Amber said.
Dare to Dream Challenge
What's next:
The couple learned as they went and maintained hope for a positive outcome. Amber said one night in January while in the NICU with Aaliyah, she got to thinking.
"It just came to me. God spoke to me and said, 'you can't not come here twice and not help other people like other parents or other moms that are going through,'" she said.
Now with baby Aaliyah set to be discharged on Tuesday, the couple wants to spread their knowledge and support other families through their NICU Navigator idea.

Amber and Andrew Vassell hope to win a contest that would allow them to help other families dealing with premature births.
"I said, 'let's create a guide/journal where they can have a part that helps them go through the process but also a part where they can document their baby's progress, their prescriptions, their ups, their downs,'" Amber said.
Last week, the couple entered Stan For Creators' ‘Dare to Dream Challenge’ in hopes of winning a grant to launch the project.
"They'll pay for your expenses for an entire year, and not only do that but help give you guidance on how to run your business and things like that," Amber said.
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The grand prize is worth more than $140,000. Amber told FOX 13 on Monday that nearly 2,000 entries have been submitted. A winner will be selected on Sunday, Feb. 16th.
"To win this contest and have the time back with her is everything," she said, "This is our love letter to everyone else that's going through this or went through this. You're seen. You're heard."
For more information on the Dare to Dream Challenge, click here.
The Source: Information for this story was collected by FOX 13's Jennifer Kveglis.
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