The Gift Of Hope Save Email Print
Reporter: Evrod Cassimy
Email Address: ECassimy@nbc15.com

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"I was born 8 weeks early and they took really good care of me here and I just thought that it'd be a good way to give back to them for what they did for me," says 10 year old Cianna Kruckenberg.

Instead of getting gifts this year, she has decided to give them all away.

"We have a lot of stickers, Subway cards and gas cards and Panera Bread cards."

Just 10 years ago she and her twin sister Kyla were born prematurely, Cianna weighing only 2 pounds 13 ounces. Doctors and nurses at the St. Mary's Neonatal Intensive Care Unit cared for the twins, but due to medical complications, Kyla did not make it.

"We kind of thought, God had to give her to somebody and we're pretty strong people and we felt like it was our gift for a short time," says Cianna's mother, Cathy Kruckenberg. "We had to embrace it and when it was time to let that go, we let that gift go."

"It's kinda hard, because my mom especially, it's hard for her because well I didn't get to know her that well," says Cianna.

Cianna wanted to use the gifts she received on her birthday to help other families with babies in the N-I-C-U hoping to inspire others through her story.

Watching how hard it's been for her family even still today she has this advice for parents.

"Take the good things and try to keep them in your heart but then if the bad things come along try to walk past them."

And although Cianna will grow up never knowing the twin sister she once had, she still holds her close to her heart.

"She's always had kind of a relationship with her even though she's gone," says Cathy.

"I'd tell her that I love her and that I really want her to be here," says Cianna.

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Posted by: H Location: Madison on Mar 26, 2008 at 11:26 AM
We, too, had a little girl born prematurely at St. Mary's ten and a half years ago. The NICU staff was amazing. We now have a healthy, athletic, sassy farm girl! Many thoughts of those who go through the same!