Fundraiser to Help With Birth Defect Expenses for Baby Emma

This story of a local family struggling with the expenses of their very special one-year-old daughter, Emma, needs your attention.

Thanks to the Brigantine Now Facebook page for letting me know about this good cause.

Emma is one year old and has spent most of her first year in CHOP NICU. She was born was Omphalocele.

Omphalocele is a birth defect in which the infant's intestine or other abdominal organs stick out of the belly button (navel). In babies with an omphalocele, the intestines are covered only by a thin layer of tissue and can be easily seen. An omphalocele is a type of hernia.

Emma is daughter of Atlantic City Fire Fighter, Ron Laielli and his wife Gena, a former nurse. Their health insurance does not cover the round the clock medical care that baby Emma needs and has certainly left them a with huge financial burden.

Please join us to raise funds for this special family and to celebrate Miracle Baby Emma on Saturday, July 26th from 3-10pm on the water in historic Gardner's Basin. The event is rain or shine on the site of the old Flying Cloud Restaurant. There will be music by DJ Live Wirez in addition to live music.

A huge raffle with great prizes, a buffet and cash bar! Donations are $20. Contact Christine Heald-Parker at 348-0989 for tickets and more info!

You can also drop off donations at Macedonian Grill, 31 & Brigantine Blvd....where they will MATCH your donation.