Let's Go Interview: The Bender Family

The Bender Family Bender Bags ProjectMike and Chelsea Bender faced a difficult road when they were told the twin boys they were expecting, Aiden and Owen, were having complications. The identical twin boys were experiencing Twin to Twin Transfusion Syndrome. This meant that one baby was surrounded by too much fluid, while the other didn’t have enough. One baby was receiving too many nutrients, while the other baby was receiving too few. This complication meant that if the babies were not delivered, they would both pass away. At 27 weeks, Chelsea was rushed into the operating room and both babies were delivered by c-section and rushed to the Mercy Hospital NICU. The boys weighed in at 1lb 14oz (Owen), and 2lb 11oz (Aiden). The NICU became a second home for the Bender family for the next 80 days. Chelsea and Mike did their best to bal ...