After I brought my premature twin boys home, they started to have apneas at home (i.e. they would stop breathing). This was the scariest thing I have ever experienced! In addition to support from our pediatrician, I discovered LAHAV's forum for parents of preemies, and got a lot of support and information there. And it was all done voluntarily, by working parents.
I first heard about Lahav at the premature unit at the hospital where my daughter was a patient (814 grams baby). The physycians stressed to use only Lahav web site for a reliable health info and avoid just using just the net for things I hear daily at the hospital and I did use it occasionally. I then received the Lahav publications when we were discharged. It was a hectic time so i only browsed it to be honest but I joined the organization. The friendly voice of the welcome committee was so important and it was great to know that there are so many parents like myself. I also frequently use the Internet Forum and am a volunteer managing the relation between our organization and the premature unit at the hospital. At the last Premature Event organized by organization on an annual basis, I finally met the faces behind the voice and nics. I then participated at the general meeting and currently serve as a member of the auditing committee. As such I daily see the hard work and enormous work done by this amazing organization to the benenfit of prematures in Israel. My daughter and I of course enjoy the fruits of this hard work done in terms of longer maternity leave etc. I recently used the help of Lahav in finding the insurance company to cover my daughter where no other company would. In addition, i used their help in getting an essential vaccination to my daughter covered by my health insurance. As you can see I'm so happy to find at Lahav an additional family and always recommend their services as they are irreplacable. Debbie
I first heared about Lahav on the day i was released from the hospital, 2 weeks after my youngest daughter was born after 8 years of fertility treatments. that day was very traumatic because i had to leave my daughter who was born as a premature infants on the 30 pregnancy week and her weight was 1'135 gram, in the hospital. when the connection with Lahav started they encourage and suppored me and help me understand the premature babies ward procedure. both I and Lahav kept the connection and Lahav encouraged me to help others and give them from my experience just as they did for me. after about one year i joined Lahav and togther we are trying to help other premature infants parents and families and to support premature babies wards in Israel.
My daughter was born after 32 weeks of pregnancy. She had digestion and some health problems. Lahav representative helped, first understand and adjust to the new situation, than lead us to their brochures,web site and forum, where we found people to consult with. The fact that we had 4 extra month of social security helped dramatically as my wife did not work at the time. We felt we are not alone there is someone that has been there before to guide us through the new situation for this i am grateful.
I am one of the funders of the organization, I have been the chairman for 5 years and now I act as the general manager. I will not talk about our great archivements- I will let others speak about it. I will only say that regarding the ethical side- I am allways amazed to see how clean and beautiful we are and I am proud to talk part of such an organization. I just hope that others will learn from us and the whole caltural way of thinking will change accordingly in the political sense.
As a mother of premature twins born at 25 weeks gestation over 5 years ago, I discovered Lahav upon returning home from NICU, when the twins were 3.5 months old. I was deeply impressed with the young, yet extremely enthusiastic, dedicated and devoted organization, and joined it a few months later. Over my 4.5 years of membership, I have carried on various roles in Lahav: I was a member of the managing committee, head of the "Preemie in the Community Project", member of the "Open Space Project" committee, and head of the audit committee. At this time I'm a member of the RSV committee, which is to allocate donated RSV vaccinations to premature babies who are not eligible for free vaccinations from the government. I feel honored and proud to be a member of Lahav and to take part in this important activity for premature babies. Unfortunately, premature babies in Israel receive medical and para-medical treatment which is significatly below the accepted standard levels in western countries, and Lahav is the only entity fighting to change this tragic situation.