In The News

When she was just 26 weeks pregnant, Jill Orologio learned that her unborn baby had a diaphragmatic hernia and a 50-50 chance of survival after birth.

Because the congenital condition put the baby’s life in jeopardy, delivery was scheduled for Strong Memorial Hospital. When the baby was born Dec. 20, 2001, the proper planning allowed doctors to quickly transfer the baby to a nearby neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at Golisano Children’s Hospital.

A diaphragmatic hernia is a life-threatening defect that occurs when the diaphragm has a hole in it that allows intestines to pass from the abdomen into the chest, resulting in underdevelopment of the lung. In this case, the intestines, stomach, appendix, and spleen occupied lung space. To ensure the baby’s survival, surgery was needed after birth.

Dr. Walter Pegoli Jr., chief of pediatric surgery at Golisano Children’s Hospital, performed the operation on Orologio’s newborn, Breanna.

“Her life was literally in his hands,” Orologio says. “They prepared us for the worst and encouraged us to hope for the best, but we had complete faith in Dr. Pegoli. He talked to us beforehand and explained what he was going to do. He instilled a strong sense of confidence that he would correct the problem, and that’s exactly what he did.”

Breanna was cared for in the NICU for 17 days before she was able to go home. Although her first experience with Golisano children’s Hospital was less than a year ago, Orologio quickly became a powerhouse supporter of Golisano Children’s, the only regional hospital devoted solely to helping children.

In June, she and her family took part in the Stroll for Strong Kids, raising almost $3,000, an amazing amount.

“We were extremely fortunate that Breanna recovered and came home in such a short time,” Orologio says. “Many families, however, have children who need special care for a longer period of time. By supporting Golisano Children’s Hospital today, you’re helping to ensure the hospital is there for children who need it tomorrow.”

Orologio is the central communications coordinator for Christa Construction, one of Golisano Children’s Hospital’s most committed local partners. The company’s owner, Dave Christa, is a member of the hospital’s board of directors. In March, Christa gave a $100,000 matching gift during the Golisano Children’s Hospital Radiothon to help build a new Pediatric Intensive Care Unit.

In June, Orologio and her husband, Vinny, joined a team of eight other Christa Construction employees to answer phones and take pledges during the Golisano Children’s Hospital Telethon on 10NBC.

Sparked by my daughter Breanna, now 3 and a neonatal intensive care unit survivor of Dec. 2001 at the Golisano Children's Hospital, Myself, her Daddy, a handful of close friends and family came to realize just how blessed we now are to have helathy children (grandchildren) and how unfortunate and traumatic it is for other families to have to go through any such experience that separates a child from his/her loved ones due to sickness or hardships of any kind. Because of this, we were inspired to help make temporary separations less stressful whenever possible for the children and the ones who love them.

We do this by fundraising to purchase items for these children that are not funded for by the agencies caring for them or by the state. Basically they would be the items of comfort and enjoyment most children find in their own home. In doing so, we hope to help these children feel comfortable, offer a sense of security. Simply put a smile on their face and perhaps in doing so, we hope to help them to cope with what is going on in their young and very fragile lives.

Prom Dresses, fashions from one of the area's newest boutiques and even a look at what's hot for the little ones - they'll all be part of a spring fashion show this weekend to benefit a local charity.

The event is just the third undertaken since Mommies for Miracles, a charity whose mission is to enrich the quality of life for sick or disabled children in need of special services, was formed in 2003.

The group's founder is Irondequoit native Jill Fantauzzo Orologio. Saturday's event will be produced by Irondequoit resident Lori Morse, with coordination by Orologio, Alyce Schaller, vice president of Mommies for Miracles; and Allyson Dennis, director of marketing.

Besides fashions by Black Sheep (which has clothes for children from newborns to age 6), Chico's, One Cool Mama (maternity and jewelry) and Tuxedo Corner, the show will include designs from Vivid, a new boutique at 3025 Monroe Ave.

Also planned is a special prom dress parade, where guests may buy dresses at the event, Orologio said, and about a dozen craft and other vendors.

While proceeds from the event have not been ear-marked for a specific need just yet, "We're really all about sharing in a child's hope for a happy, healthy tomorrow," Orologio said. "Our group doesn't focus on critical necessities, but on things that will bring a smile to kids' faces. That's really all we can do; we're not a big charity."

The organization was sparked by Orologio's daughter Breanna, who survived a life-threatening condition in 2001.

"Breanna continues to be our reason to believe in miracles," Orologio said. "We know now just how blessed we are to have healthy children in our lives, but realize there are many families not so fortunate."

Mommies for Miracles members are simply inspired to help make temporary separation due to illness or disability les stressful, she explained.

"Our fund-raising enables us to purchase comforting items that are typically not funded by the agencies caring for these children," Orologio said. The group will supply items such as games, DVDs, pen-pal mail, movies, books, dolls, clothing and other comfort items.

"Although these gestures may seem small, we feel that they are quite significant in the process of recovery for a child coping with an illness or disability," Orologio said. "Comfort items can make all the difference in the life of these young and fragile children."

Irondequoit native Jill Orologio founded a new charity as her way of ensuring miracles keep coming true.

When Jill and Vinny Orologio's second daughter, Breanna, was born with a life-threatening condition, prayer chains from literally around the world were supporting them.

Breanna, who was born with what's called a diaphragmatic hernia, a hole between the stomach and diaphragm, had major surgery at just a day old so that doctors could place her organs where they should be.

She beat what her Mom calls "incredible odds" and today is a thriving almost 3-year-old. Jill Orologio calls her "our miracle baby."

The combination of today's medical technology and those prayers, sparked by her mother, Marilyn Fantauzzo of Irondequoit, just had to be how their "miracle" happened, said Jill Orologio, a Fairport resident.

The Irondequoit native and 1984 Eastridge High School Graduate, daughter of Marilyn and Dominick Fantauzzo, started by holding backyard carnivals, car washes and a skate-a-thon to raise money in support of Golisano Children's Hospital at Strong, where Breanna was born.

Finally, realizing, "you can't keep asking the same people to donate money," Orologio gathered the support of family, friends and even her employer, Christa Companies, and founded her own charity, Mommies for Miracles, just over a year ago.

"The name started because I was the mommy who had the miracle child," Orologio explained.

To date, the group has already raised more than $9,000, which is given away in the form of grants to charities that help children. The aim is to find grass-roots agencies that may be struggling and don't already benefit from campaigns like United Way.

Her parents aren't surprised that the youngest of their three children (Jill is 38) would turn a painful ordeal into a positive.

"Knowing Jill, it's something she would do; she's just a take-charge person," said Marilyn Fantauzzo. "She (Jill) wondered why it was happening at the time - it was pretty scary - but I think there was a plan for her, and this was it."

Ever since she was a teen, Jill had been active in support of Rotary activities. Her father, Dominick Fantauzzo, is a past president and still active member of Irondequoit Rotary. "We're really so proud of her," he said.

Mommies for Miracles is all the more remarkable because it involves all young mothers with full-time jobs, Jill Orologio said.

"But you don't need to be a mommy to make a difference," she stressed with a smile, noting that her husband, Vinny, is also actively involved with fund-raising efforts.

"What makes the organization so special is that we're all volunteer, from top to bottom, and every cent we raise goes to help children," Jill Orologio said. "We're OK with that (being all-volunteer), as long as we feel we're making a difference."

She has worked at Christa Construction, based in Victor, for 14 years and has the support of her emplyer, David Christa, already a major corporate sponsor of the charity. Other corporate sponsors include jewelry artist Karen Gurnett's The Gen Garden, also based in Victor, and "We're Forms," a business based in Rochester.

Victor resident Alyce Schaller, a friend of Jill Orologio's, is vice president of the charity, and Allyson Dennis of Spencerport is director of marketing. They are assisted by a 12-member volunteer board.

"We'd like to get more people involved," Jill Orologio said. "We're full of ideas, but we just have to get them rolling."

As an ongoing fund-raiser, the group has a line of items it sells year-round. They most recently set up shop at a holiday crafts show and sale at Irondequoit's Transfiguration Lutheran Church on Culver Road.

"It was a fantastic outlet for us," Jill Orologio said. "We'll definitely do more of that (craft shows)."

Upcoming projects include developing additional items to sell and planning a silent auction for spring 2006.

The group held it's own show, Crafts for a Cause, in Greece last month and for a first-time event, had 47 vendors and raised more than $800, used to purchase "luxury items," like an easel, games and musical toys, in the recreation area of the pediatric intensive care unit at Strong.

Group members have also held a book sale to help make a child's wish come true through the Make a Wish Foundation, donated to other area charities, and sold flower bulbs to benefit Rotary's Camp Haccamo.

"We need to get people to start seeing our name," Orologio said. "We just want to help children and focus directly on the children. We're doing this for fun and satisfaction, yes, but we're also just parents who are grateful to have healthy children."

Irondequoit Native Jill Fantauzzo Orologio, founder and president of Mommies for Miracles, Inc., and her staff of volunteers hosted their first Wine Tasting and Silent Auction Nov. 4 at the Lodge at Woodcliff. The sold-out event featured selections from six local wineries, hors d'ouvres and desserts. Television Channel 10's Jennifer Johnson was master of ceremonies, and entertainment was provided by the Bill Tiberio Quartet and Phyl Contestable as the Reverand Mother.

Corporate sponsors of the event were Christa Construction, Rochester Clinical Research, VJ Construction and We're Forms.

By the end of the evening, $6,500 was raised to benefit the Victims Resource Center of the Finger Lakes. The gift has been earmarked for the purchase of playground equipment for the children given "safe haven" and counseling at the center.

Orologio is a graduate of Eastridge High School and the daughter of Dominick and Marilyn Fantauzzo of Irondequoit.

Mommies for Miracles is a charitable organization. Its main purpose is "to enrich the quality of life for sick, disabled or any children in need of special services." For more information about the group, visit www.mommiesformiracles.org.