Kash was born 14 weeks early, at 26 weeks gestation, weighing just 1 lb, 6 oz, and measuring only 12 inches. It took nearly a month for him to become stable enough to transfer to Nationwide Children's Hospital where he could receive world-renowned care for babies his size.  

Kash’s biggest cause for concern was his lungs. He developed BPD (bronchopulmonary dysplasia), a chronic lung disease often affecting premature newborns that requires oxygen therapy. Kash spent much time in the BPD clinic, where he had a chest tube and was placed on a ventilator. “We spent months trying and failing to get Kash off the ventilator,” remembers Kash’s mom, Tascha. “It was the perfect example of one step forward and 10 steps back.”  

After six months on the ventilator, Kash improved enough to change to a CPAP machine. A month after that, he was able to have a G-tube placed for feeding and medication. Both the CPAP machine and the G-tube helped Kash grow so much that only a few months later he was able to move from the CPAP to a nasal cannula.  

After 311 days, Kash was discharged. He and his family went home with oxygen tanks and supplies, a feeding pump, a pulse ox monitor, and lots of medications. With support from his care team, Kash was able to graduate from the BPD clinic follow-ups and is oxygen and G-tube free. “We are so grateful for everyone that was a part of his care team,” says Tascha. “It’s because of them that Kash is a happy, healthy 8-year-old boy.”