REGIONAL CONTACTS
Find a local support Hub near you and your regions birth statistics. To volunteer, or create a local Hub in your area, and register as a Hub Volunteer.
An Area Contact is a senior volunteer with us who has had substantial experience providing parent support and is familiar with the medical system in the state.
Hub Leaders are responsible for organizing local support for families and those affected by gastroschisis. They’re responsible for fundraising and promoting community awareness of the defect. Hub leaders are active in making sure their local government knows of the needs of those affected by gastroschisis. They partner with local medical institutions to promote their efforts with the disease and to help supplement their support for affected patients and families. Hub leaders are responsible for organizing a July 30th Awareness Day event for local families to find fellowship and promote community awareness.
CALIFORNIA
Analeise Guild
Northern CA Hub Leader, Support Coordinator
[email protected]
My start with gastroschisis began very different than most. I had never heard the word gastroschisis until my daughter was 18 months old. This is because my daughter was adopted. more…
COLORADO
Liz Tuck
Hub Leader
[email protected]
My name is Elizabeth “Liz” Tuck living on the Western Slope of Colorado on our small farm living life post military. Our gastroschisis journey began May 13, 2015. After three very normal pregnancies, we decided our fourth (a rainbow baby) would be born at home with a skilled midwife team. more…
INDIANA
Sara Dowdy
Hub Leader
[email protected]
Hey there! My name is Sara Dowdy and I am a mother of 2 wonderful boys. My Gastroschisis journey began in 2014 when I was 20 years old with my first son Cole for an undiagnosed Gastroschisis case. At delivery, our doctor was in a frantic mood to deliver Cole due to his heart rate continuously dropping. more…
KANSAS
JorDawn Ramirez
Hub Leader
My journey began in 2017 when my 3rd daughter was diagnosed with Gastroschisis during a gender reveal sonogram. I had no idea that my life would be forever changed that day. I went through the rest of my pregnancy feeling alone, terrified, and nervous for the unknown future. more…
MASSACHUSETTS
Gaby Luna
Hub Leader
I’m Gaby Luna. your New England District Manager and MA Hub Leader. I was born and raised in New Jersey, but now live in Massachusetts. I am a consumer advocate for an infusion company and caregiver to a fun and wild boy who was born with Vanishing Gastroschisis in September of 2016. more…
Christine Casanova
Co-Hub Leader
[email protected]
It’s an honor to be the Co-Hub of Massachusetts! I love connecting with other families, learning more, and spreading awareness about Gastroschisis. My Gastroschisis Warrior will be 2 soon, and we’ve had quite the adventure! I’m so grateful for the connections and support I’ve received through Avery’s Angels. more…
MICHIGAN
Cally Chatman
Hub Leader
[email protected]
My name is Cally Chatman, I am mom to two boys! My second,Ezra, is my gastroschisis baby. We found out Ezra was going to be born with Gastroschisis shortly after our 16 week ultrasound. During my pregnancy I had some issues but after some tests and with an extra close eye on our baby everything was fine. more…
Gracie Jordan
Hub Leader
Hi, my name is Gracie Jordan. I am currently enrolled in college and working towards my associates degree in Criminal Justice. I became a mother at the age of 17, in November of 2018 when my daughter Josephina was born. Becoming a mother so young was hard, but adding on my daughter’s diagnosis was even harder. more…
Lacey Brown
Hub Leader
Hello! My name is Lacey. Our Gastroschisis journey began when I was just 11 weeks pregnant with my son, Jack. Like most, we knew nothing about Gastroschisis and immediately began to do research on exactly what it was our little guy was dealing with and what we could expect as new parents. It was during this time I found Avery’s Angels. more…
MISSISSIPPI
Christie Adair
Hub Leader
[email protected]
My name is Christie. I have been married to my husband since 2007. We have two daughters: Alexis and Skylar.
December 27, 2013 I was 17 weeks pregnant with Skylar and it was the first time that I had ever
heard of Gastroschisis. more…
NEBRASKA
Carleen Vest Light
Hub Leader
[email protected]
My name is Carleen and our Gastroschisis journey started in March of 2004, our daughter arrived at the end of July 2004 at 34 weeks. After spending 60 days in the hospital my husband and I bought our daughter home 1 day after our first wedding anniversary. more…
NEW JERSEY
Andrea Pagan
Hub Leader
[email protected]
November 12, 2013 my husband and I were given the news that our baby had a birth defect. I was just 12 weeks pregnant when we found out that Sloane had gastroschisis, my life changed forever that day but for the better. more…
NORTH CAROLINA
Lindsey Buglewicz
Hub Leader
My name is Lindsey Buglewicz and I live on the coast of N.C. My Gastro warrior is named Lydia and is almost 3. I am a military spouse and also a recreational therapist, working full time with disabled active duty Marines and veterans. more…
Nikki Billings
Hub Leader
[email protected]
My name is Nikki Billings and I have been serving as a North Carolina Hub leader for Avery’s Angels since August of 2015. I’m a wife and a mother to two beautiful boys, one of which whose life was taken too soon at just 32 weeks gestation due to the rare defect called Gastroschisis. more…
Erin Ingenito
Hub Leader
My name is Erin Ingenito. I have been a dental assistant for 22 years now and I am a mother to my 23 year old daughter Brenna, and a nan to my Remington. Our gastroschisis journey began when my daughter was about 18 weeks pregnant. I’ll never forget that day she called my hysterical crying, I felt helpless as I was in NC and she was in TN going to school! more…
OHIO
Erin Werner
Hub Leader
[email protected]
My name is Erin Werner. My son Leo was born on 1/30/14 with complicated gastroschisis. Not only were his intestines out, but they were not all connected. In all, Leo had seven surgeries and spent 7 months and eleven days in the Cincinnati Children’s NICU. more…
OREGON
Tiffany Goldader
Area Contact
tiffany@
My name is Tiffany. I am 28 years old, and a full time mom and wife. Having support, whether locally or across the world, is a key way we help people experiencing gastroschisis. more…
TENNESSEE
Ashlee Wagoner
Hub Leader
My name is Ashlee Wagoner. I’m a new stay at home mom, after years of working in the corporate world. I am a wife to an amazing husband, Brad, a mom to an incredible gastroschisis warrior, Madison, a Type 1 Diabetic, and just trying to navigate this new life! more…
TEXAS
Brittany Isham
Hub Leader
[email protected]
My name is Brittany Isham. I was 24 years old and 20 weeks pregnant with my second child, Savana, when she was diagnosed with gastroschisis. It was unexpected and I was not at all prepared to deal with my daughter having a birth defect, much less one I knew nothing about. more…
VIRGINIA
Laurel-Eden Combs
Hub Leader
Hello! My name is Laurel-Eden Combs and I’m the proud momma of a beautiful Gastro boy named Jackson-Lee! At 15 weeks gestation I went to the doctor for an appointment and found out that my son had Gastroschisis. more…
WASHINGTON
Christine Fowler
Hub Leader
[email protected]
My journey began in 2017. I found out I was having my 3rd baby. I have to admit, I was not very excited as it was not planned. I already had a 20 year old daughter & a 13 year old son. Once I heard that heartbeat; I just knew it was meant to be. At 20 weeks, I was told after an ultrasound that my baby girl had Gastroschisis. more…
CANADA
Megan Dieno
Hub Leader
My name is Megan, I’m from Regina, Saskatchewan and I am so excited to be a Hub leader for Avery’s Angels. My son was born Dec 30, 2016, I can’t tell you enough how ill prepared everyone including the hospital was for how bad our sons condition would be at birth. more…
CROATIA
Margareta Lovkovic
Hub Leader
[email protected]
My name is Margareta and my gastro warrior is Antonija. We live in Croatia, a small country in Europe. Our gastroschisis story begins with Antonija’s birth on September 28th 2014. She was a full term breech baby and born via induction. I had 11 ultrasound scans during my pregnancy, but her gastroschisis remained undetected until she was born. more…
CROATIA & MONTENEGRO
Marija Sbutega
Hub Leader
I am Maria and I am the mother of a brave and strong girl – Marla. At the regular check-up in the 12th week of the gynecologist’s pregnancy, he suspected gastroschisis, and after that I did additional tests that confirmed the diagnosis. From the very beginning, the gynecologist was extremely positive, he already had experience with the birth of babies with gastroschisis and explained to me further procedures and steps. more…
KENYA
Esther Labaru
Hub Leader
My name is Esther, I am from Kenya in Kiambu county. I am a mum of two, a girl and a boy. I am a continuing student at Karatina University, studying for a degree in Finance & Banking. I was working in the transport industry in the accounts department up until I had my son who is a gastroschisis survivor. more…
MONTENEGRO & MACEDONIA
Adelisa Jancic
Hub Leader
At 16 weeks of pregnancy, we learn about the diagnosis of gastroschisis. Doctors advised abortion. They claimed that the baby would be defective and would not have a quality life. We did genetic tests, long and painful. After 2 months, a cordocentesis report arrived and showed that the baby was genetically healthy. more…
SERBIA
Nina Isakov
Hub Leader
My name is Nina. I gave birth to my gastro warrior Tara when I was 32 years old. This was my first pregnancy and at 12 weeks on ultrasound, gastroschisis was diagnosed. I gave birth at 36+6 to my little girl, on March 11, 2022. via c-section. She weighed 2,33 kg. She was operated on the same day, where the small intestine, stomach and right ovary were returned to her abdomen in one act. more…
SLOVENIA
Azra Omerovic
Hub Leader
My name is Azra and I am the mother of a gastroschisis warrior Naja. We found out about her diagnosis at my regular 11 weeks pregnancy check up. We were very lucky to be aware of the condition in such an early phase of the pregnancy. Immediately after that we were signed up for regular weekly check ups in Ljubljana where my pregnancy was monitored until the end. more…
UNITED KINGDOM
Abbie Taylor
Hub Leader
Hi, my name is Abbie, I am from the UK and I am a mum to 3 boys, one of which was born with Gastroschisis in May 2016. We found out at our 12 week scan that Kyden’s bowel was outside. We had scans every 2 weeks but as the weeks went by his bowel was dilating fast. At 35+5, the dilation was 39 mm and they decided to induce, but Kyden came naturally on the day of induction. more…