There's no doubt the global health crisis has made our world a little darker. It's moved our work from the office to our homes, it's had our kids home for months, and injected fear at the thought of sending them back. Oh and we have to wear face masks when we're out in public. These are not easy changes, and no one really wants to wear a mask, but we do because it's necessary to keep others safe.
Not everyone grasps this message, or maybe they just don’t see why we should do our part to protect others. But one aunt decided to wear a face mask that holds a powerful message on why we need to be doing our part and wear one.
Savannah O'Malley shared a photo to her Instagram of her sister's custom face mask.
"Masks suck," the post says, which feature's Savannah's sister, Tennessy Fraumeni. "They are unnatural, hot and uncomfortable and for all those reasons it is pretty easy to forget why we are wearing them."
But her sister's face mask has a photo on the front that's designed to remind people why they're wearing a mask. "My sister, however, found a way to be a little more direct for anyone who forgets why we are doing this."
The mask features photos of Savannah's twins when they were in the NICU.
Savannah's twin boys, Lochlan and Lex, were born premature at 24 weeks gestation weighing just 1 pound 10 ounces and she documented their struggles at birth on her website, The Smallest Flight. In an email interview with CafeMom, Savannah says "They spent a turbulent 101 days in the NICU and overcame brain bleeds, broken hearts and countless respiratory ups and downs. They defied the odds and survived."
She adds, "Although they are quite healthy, they are still immunocompromised and have been diagnosed with chronic lung disease. We do not take any respiratory virus lightly because it could, and previously has, put them in the ICU."
Savannah's sister, Tennessy, has been protective of her nephews from the moment they were brought into the world — and she knew when the global health crisis hit, she was going to protect them with everything she had.
"When COVID hit and I heard that some of the most vulnerable were immunocompromised my emotions took over me, I was going to protect my nephews in any way I could," Tennessy said, according to her sister.
And this is why Tennessy wears the mask.
"This is why," reads the mask that Tennessy wears, and under a photo of her two nephews hooked up the ventilators. "My sister, however, found a way to be a little more direct for anyone who forgets why we are doing this," she shared in the caption.
"If this prevents just one mother from having to know what it feels like to have her child on a vent, it has served its purpose."
"We aren't being asked to wear masks because they are cute or fun to wear," she said. "We wear them to slow the spread of this nasty respiratory virus and protect our vulnerable population. I think it is easy to forget the vulnerable population isn't only the elderly, its children too. My twins, and all preemies for that matter, have fought like hell just to be here. At the very least, we owe them a mask."
Both sisters want everyone to understand why masks are needed.
"Me wearing a mask is not for my protection, it is for theirs and I will continue to wear it if it means me getting to watch my nephews grow up," Tennessy said. "I am an advocate for their fight and wearing this mask is a small way I can support them. When wearing this mask in public I have received nothing but positivity when approached."
She continues, "I tell their story and others open up to me about their family members and some even are not aware of the effect a mask can do to protect their loved ones. I wear the mask and use it as an opportunity to change someone's persepctive. Regardless if you believe a mask can protect you please think of others and the germs you could prevent with one small step to your daily routine."
Both sisters want everyone to understand why masks are needed and the least we can do.
"Wearing a mask is the greatest act of kindness. You are not wearing it for yourself, you wear it to slow the spread of this nasty disease and protect the vulnerable, including babies." Savannah said.
"Preemies have little to no immune system — we are their immune system. They have fought like hell just to be here and we owe it to them to slow and stop the spread of COVID-19."
