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CV NEWS FEED // Texas-based nonprofit Abel Speaks is offering a lifeline to families who receive a heartbreaking life-limiting diagnosis during pregnancy, helping them create meaningful memories with their children, however brief their lives may be.
Daniel and Kelly Crawford founded Abel Speaks after their own experience with their son, Abel. Driven by the belief that “every child’s life can be beautiful and meaningful, no matter the length,” the Crawfords created the organization to help parents facing life-limiting diagnoses.
Abel Speaks offers a compassionate environment that empowers parents to carry their children to term, providing them with peace, hope, and the strength to navigate an incredibly difficult journey.
The nonprofit offers a range of services, including grief counseling, spiritual guidance, mentorship, and memory-making activities that allow families to honor and cherish the lives of their children. The organization helps parents find doctors who value their wishes and respect the life of their child and aids them in planning memorial services.
Abel Speaks also provides photography sessions and keepsake items for parents to help preserve memories, and it connects parents to a local community of those who understand the emotional challenges they face.
Through the support of donors, Abel Speaks offers its services for free.
Marybeth and Jacob Lobato opened up about their experience with Abel Speaks after they received devastating news midway through their first pregnancy, in early 2019. Their unborn daughter, Ava, was diagnosed with bilateral multicystic dysplastic kidneys, a condition that would prevent her from surviving long after birth.
Despite the heartbreaking prognosis, the Lobatos chose to carry their daughter to term, determined to spend as much time with her as possible. Abel Speaks helped them navigate difficult medical decisions and connected them with supportive doctors who respected their wishes.
Thanks to Abel Speaks, the Lobatos arranged for a C-section to give Ava the best chance to be born alive, fulfilling their hope to spend even a brief time with her.
“While there were some people that questioned our decision to carry our daughter to full term,” Ava’s parents explained, “the team at Abel Speaks was encouraging and supportive. They gave us the confidence in our decision to carry our sweet girl and to fight for life.”
On August 7, 2019, Ava was born alive, defying expectations. She cried — a sound her parents thought they’d never hear — and lived for two hours. During that time, her parents were able to hold her, read to her, sing to her, and introduce her to family. Her father danced with her.
“When you lose a baby, people are afraid to talk about the baby or mention their name,” Marybeth and Jacob wrote.
“But saying their names, talking about our babies, are reminders of the beautiful lives that they lived,” they continued. “Through Abel Speaks, we have been able to connect with other families who understand this. They speak Ava’s name, they ask the hard questions, and in all of this, they continue to celebrate our sweet girl.”
Those who wish to support the work of Abel Speaks can do so here.
