When Every Moment Matters: Our ECMO Journey with Vida
February 3, 2026“We joined the Guilds of Valley Children’s because we felt compelled to get involved and support the hospital that helped us in our most vulnerable days. What we didn’t realize at the time was the Guilds’ commitment to the ECMO Endowment — the very program that saved our daughter, Vida. We thought we were volunteering, but we had no idea this was coming full circle for us.”
– Melissa and Victor, Vida’s Parents
A Parents’ Perspective
Vida was born on December 8 — full-term, healthy and perfect. “After years of fertility treatments, holding her felt like finally stepping into the life we had dreamed of. For those few hours, we let ourselves breathe and settle as a family of three,” shared Melissa, Vida’s mom.
“Just after midnight, everything changed. We noticed that Vida’s cry sounded strange, and every few breaths she let out a tiny gasp,” added Victor, Vida’s dad. “Before we knew it, a code blue rang and we felt a wave of fear we will never forget.”
Vida’s oxygen was dropping fast, and her heart was starting to fail — she was going into cardiac arrest and was having respiratory failure.
Just 12 hours into life, Vida was transported to Valley Children’s — she needed extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) care—the highest level of life support. Melissa hadn’t been cleared for discharge yet, so Victor followed the team alone. “Walking behind the incubator carrying our hours-old daughter was surreal — terror mixed with disbelief,” added Victor.
“At Valley Children’s, a large team moved with calm precision to prepare Vida for ECMO. We had never heard of ECMO before that night. They explained that ECMO would take over the work of Vida’s heart and lungs so her body could rest. For a baby as young and small as Vida, this was our only hope,” continued Victor.
“Before Vida was put on ECMO, I was discharged and rushed to Valley Children’s, just in time for us to be given a brief moment to hold her tiny hand. Then the team moved quickly. The procedure went safely, and ECMO gave our daughter the one thing she desperately needed: time,” shared Melissa.
“Over the next five days, we watched her slowly grow stronger. When we saw her oxygen stabilize, we let ourselves exhale for the first time since the night everything changed,” added Melissa. “When her heart finally showed it could work on its own, the team gently weaned her off the machines. The four weeks that followed in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) were filled with small but powerful steps — breathing on her own, feeding and simply existing as a baby again.”
Today, Vida is thriving — playful, curious and full of life. “The care we were given, as a family, is why giving back means so much to us,” continued Melissa. “Victor now volunteers as a member of Padrinos Guild, and I joined La Visionaria Guild. We started because we wanted to help. We’re staying because we know, firsthand, that Valley Children’s saves lives — including the life of our very own daughter.”
Guilds ECMO Endowment
Since 1949, the Guilds of Valley Children’s have raised more than $35 million to support lifesaving care at Valley Children’s Healthcare. As the organization’s largest financial contributors, the Guilds fund critical programs and advocate for children across the Central Valley. A cornerstone of this commitment is the $10 million Guilds ECMO Endowment, strengthening Valley Children’s ECMO Program — the only pediatric ECMO program in the region. ECMO provides advanced heart and lung support for critically ill infants and children when other treatments are no longer enough.