Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) is a devastating intestinal inflammatory disease that can affect premature or otherwise medically fragile infants during their first weeks and months of life. Upon diagnosis, many babies have only hours or days before their intestines become necrotic, progressing to sepsis, multisystem organ failure, and, ultimately, death. NEC is a complex, multifactorial disease. There is no single cause, no clear etiology, no cure, and no known way to eliminate the risks of NEC for medically fragile infants. We urgently need more awareness and resources dedicated to building a world without NEC.
Credit: NEC Society
Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) is a devastating intestinal inflammatory disease that can affect premature or otherwise medically fragile infants during their first weeks and months of life. Upon diagnosis, many babies have only hours or days before their intestines become necrotic, progressing to sepsis, multisystem organ failure, and, ultimately, death. NEC is a complex, multifactorial disease. There is no single cause, no clear etiology, no cure, and no known way to eliminate the risks of NEC for medically fragile infants. We urgently need more awareness and resources dedicated to building a world without NEC.
We chose May to be NEC Awareness Month because mothers are essential to our work of advancing NEC research, education, and advocacy. We will only build a world without NEC by partnering with and elevating mothers. Mothers provide the most protective therapy against NEC—their milk.
Science is essential to our vision of a world without NEC, but it takes an average of 17 years for research evidence to reach clinical practice. We chose the 17th of May because we cannot wait 17 years for today’s emerging NEC research to reach our babies in the NICU. We need to prevent NEC now. We need a world without NEC today.
Our motto “from pain to power” recognizes the profound heartache that follows a NEC diagnosis. The pain caused by NEC often stays with us for a lifetime. It takes remarkable strength to channel our anguish into helping other families and driving our organization’s mission.
The NEC Society is working tirelessly to accelerate research, raise awareness, and build a world without NEC by keeping babies and families centered in everything we do. We invite you to share how NEC has impacted your life and support the NEC Society by recognizing NEC Awareness Month. You can join our movement to #preventNEC at NECsociety.org.
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