A mother of two, Cami Rosso knows first-hand about the danger of high-risk pregnancies. Her oldest son spent time in the neonatal intensive care unit, and her youngest son was born with the umbilical cord wrapped around his neck.
“We’re very fortunate that we can afford to have good care,” said Rosso, who moved with her family to Rancho Santa Fe from Del Mar two years ago. “There are other families with preterm babies and critically-ill babies who can’t afford good care. The thought of that is heartbreaking.”
To support families with babies in the NICU, Rosso headed “Team M” in the sixth annual Miracle Babies 5K May 4 at San Diego’s Embarcadero Marina Park.
It was Rosso’s first time participating in the event. As team captain, she led nearly 50 members.
Team M raised more than $18,000, becoming the top fundraising team for the event.
“It was the most phenomenal experience,” Rosso said. “A majority of our team members are mothers. They’re caring and kind and generous. It was so beautiful to share something like this. It was very moving.”
Miracle Babies is a nonprofit organization that provides support and financial assistance to families with critically-ill newborns in the NICU, as well as enhance the well being of women, children and their families through education, prevention and medical care.
Dr. Sean Daneshmand — who delivered both of Rosso’s children — founded the organization with his wife, Marjan, in 2009. Their daughter Natalie was born six weeks premature in December 2002.
“On many levels, this is very personal,” Rosso said. “I’m deeply grateful to Dr. Sean Daneshmand for bringing my two children into this world safely. My heart also goes out to families in need. I want to help them.”
In addition to helping Miracle Babies, Team M also helped Rosso accomplish a personal goal.
Rosso has a dream to one day climb Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania and reach the peak of the 19,341-foot mountain. But because of a heart condition, her dream may never come to fruition.
“The members of Team M — each and every one of them — are true beauties,” said Rosso with tears in her eyes. “Nobody knew this, but they helped me achieve my dream. It was my summiting Mount Kilimanjaro.”
With a master’s in business from IMD business school in Switzerland and a certificate in marketing innovative technologies from Harvard Business School’s Executive Education program, Rosso previously worked as the CEO of three start-up companies.
After the birth of her second son, Louis, or “Louie,” Rosso left the business world to be a full-time stay-at-home mom. Louie is now 3 years old, and Cameron recently celebrated his 5th birthday.
Also a model for fashion apparel and consumer products, Rosso is a founding member of Miracle Babies’ Miracle Circle, a member of Las Damas de Fairbanks and a member of Rancho Santa Fe Community Center’s Moms and Tots group.
With the 5K over, Rosso is now looking forward to attending Miracle Babies’ Casino Royale Masquerade Ball on Sept. 27 at the Hyatt Regency La Jolla at Aventine.
“My hope is that if others see that a stay-at-home mom of two can do something like this, they, too, can do it,” Rosso said. “I hope people will be inspired to go out and do the same.”
By: Kristina Houck
Source: Rancho Santa Fe Review
