Photo by Carli Brasfield
LITTLE BITS Pregnancy is the only time when you can do nothing at all and still be productive.” – Evan Esar “
From 1 Lb to Thriving: Barrett Brasfield’s Miracle Journey Barrett Brasfield was born at only 26 weeks, weighing barely one pound. The odds were
stacked against him—he only had a 20 percent chance of survival. Homewood residents Carli and Roman Brasfield prayed harder than ever. Fast forward many long months, Barrett was finally released to go home after 403 days in the hospital. During his time at the hospital, he experienced many early infections, sepsis, and underwent two surgeries, including receiving a tracheostomy. Now, “Barrett is almost 14 months old, and he is thriving,” Carli shares in a Facebook post. “He rolls, pushes up, smiles, plays. He’s learning something new everyday. He’s growing. He’s passed his vision and hearing tests. He’s silly, determined, and joyful. He is already exceeding expectations—and he’s just getting started.” If you’re in a dark place, Carli encourages you to cling to God’s faithfulness, even when you can’t feel it. “If you’re walking through a hard season right now, I see you. I remember. Keep going. It won’t always feel this way. Seasons change. God’s love does not,” she writes. Read their full story on her blog ourstorytobear.wordpress.com.
One Month. $20 Million. Alabama Shows Up for Rural Hospitals This January, the Alabama Rural Hospital Investment Program launched to help at-risk rural hospitals across the state stay afloat. The program enables taxpayers to donate to eligible rural hospitals and receive a full, dollar-for-dollar state tax credit. The Alabama Health Research & Education Foundation will serve as one of the third-party partners who will distribute the funds to 50 rural hospitals based on financial need. And here’s what’s crazy—within just one month of the program opening, the $20 million tax credit cap for the year was fully met! alaha.org
Urgent Recall: All Byheart Infant Formula Pulled After Infant Botulism Outbreak If you’ve bought any All ByHeart Whole Nutrition Infant Formula products, stop using them immediately—they have been recalled by the US Food & Drug Administration (FDA) based on an outbreak of infant botulism. According to the FDA, symptoms include “constipation, poor feeding, loss of head control, and difficulty swallowing, which can progress to difficulty breathing and respiratory arrest.” Botulism can be fatal, so seek medical attention immediately if your infant is experiencing signs and symptoms of botulism. fda.gov
Vaccine Divide: AAP Breaks from CDC Guidance The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) is breaking up with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) because of the organization’s views on childhood vaccines. The CDC recently made changes to how it prioritizes certain vaccines. The AAP, on the other hand, claims that nothing has changed in childhood illness prevention—meaning children should still be vaccinated for diseases like hepatitis A and B, RSV, and the flu, which the CDC dropped from its immunization schedule. While most of the vaccines recommended (like MMR, DTaP, polio, etc.) are largely unchanged, the AAP does not currently endorse the Child and Adolescent Immunization Schedule that’s published by the CDC. Of course, it’s not the first time the AAP has made a break for it: just last year, AAP boycotted the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) meeting. Let’s just say… they’re no longer on the same dose of advice. For now, the two agencies are far from immune to disagreement. publications.aap.org
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PINK&BLUE | SPRING 2026
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