Patti Lewis worked enthusiastically for nearly 30 years as a nurse in the field of cardiovascular disease management. She carefully and deliberately chose a career path whereby she would avoid the care of severely ill or dying children, limiting her services to adults only
In the early 1990’s, in the midst of a life-altering spiritual conversion, Patti sensed an inner calling to open a home for infants who were at risk of abuse or death at the hands of their caregivers. She thought perhaps this “calling” was her own, born of her own desire for children, as she is single and childless. However, on December 12, 1994, on the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, patroness of the unborn, her calling was tested and clarified, with the spectacular birth and entrance of baby Alexandra into her life. Little Alex, her niece, lived just over 40 days, dying from a rare and fatal genetic syndrome. Through Patti’s experience with her life and death, she was inspired to open Alexandra’s House, to provide care to other families pregnant with one or more terminally ill babies. This placed Patti face to face with the one thing she never wanted to experience: sick and dying babies.
Alexandra's House was incorporated in 1997, with non-profit status, as a charitable perinatal-infant hospice and refuge for abandoned or neglected babies. Patti operated this ministry from her two-bedroom townhouse until 2002 and supported it with her personal income until 2003. Their first baby was referred in 1999 and now Alexandra's House operates round the clock to serve families and their precious babies. In the summer of 2002 a wonderfully generous married couple, who experienced the death of their first born, a little girl too, purchased a home for Alexandra's House.
By responding to this call to serve these, her beloved dying babies and their heroic families, Patti has seen the fulfillment of the desires of her heart. She now awaits the outgrowth of a community of women who will join her in this beautiful apostolic mission.
Eugene Walker James (EWJ) Pearce, M.D. graduated from Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, Missouri and completed his residency in Obstetrics and Gynecology at the University of Kansas. After serving in the United States Army for four years, Dr. Pearce became a full time instructor in the department of OBGYN at the University of Kansas Medical Center. He served for eight more years there as an Assistant Clinical Professor, while in Johnson County, Kansas, he began private practice in OBGYN, along with his wife, Dr. Lunetta, a Family Practitioner. Most recently, Dr. Pearce served as Associate Professor and Chief, Section of Gynecology, at Truman Medical Center/University of Missouri Kansas City Medical School, where in all these institutions and by all his residents, colleagues, patients, friends, and Alexandra's House, he is deeply loved and revered.
In February, 1998, Dr. Pearce attended a meeting of the American Association of Pro-life Obstetricians and Gynecologists (AAPLOG) in Florida. While there, he heard a talk by Dr. Byron C. Calhoun on the subject of the perinatal hospice. A perinatal hospice is an organization that provides physical and spiritual support to people who discover during pregnancy that their baby has a serious birth defect that likely will result in death either before or shortly after birth. Thus the parents begin to grieve and suffer at that particular time and need both physical and spiritual support. The perinatal hospice is the organization that supplies this for them.
This was a totally new and invigorating concept to Dr. Pearce. After all, how and what do you tell a woman who is pregnant with a baby or babies who most likely will not survive? He viewed this idea of perinatal hospice as an advance in perinatal care that could profit anyone who was involved in pregnancy, labor and the birth of babies. At that time Dr. Pearce was Course Director for the annual continuing medical education program at Truman Medical Center entitled Update. He invited Dr. Calhoun to be a guest speaker at Update 1999. In addition, he asked if Dr. Calhoun would talk to a non professional group about the concept so that Dr. Pearce could develop some support for such an organization in Kansas City. Dr. Calhoun agreed to both.
When Dr. Pearce returned to Kansas City from Florida, he had no idea of how to arrange a meeting for the general public. He talked to various charitable and pro-life groups. Ultimately, Patti Lewis, then a cardiovascular nurse, heard about the idea and contacted Dr. Pearce. She had an experience several years ago with the death of a niece who had a birth defect incompatible with life and was very interested in providing the services of perinatal hospice. However, Patti did not have the conceptual framework about how to go about it as Dr. Calhoun had developed. Nevertheless, a little steering committee was developed to arrange a dinner meeting at which Dr. Calhoun would speak to a lay group.
One thing led to another and in April of 1999, the same day that Dr. Calhoun talked to the physicians and nurses, he talked to a lay group at the Marriott Hotel in downtown Kansas City, Missouri. It was attended by 185 people. We were astonished and pleased at the success of this event.
The “rest is history”; as they say, and today Dr. Pearce contributes a large amount of his time as Medical Director of Alexandra's House. He continues to lecture to medical, nursing, grief, and lay audiences to promote this concept and has been very well received. He attends all our family gatherings and retreat weekends, serves as an Educator to our families, our Board and our all volunteer staff. His wife, Dr. Lunetta, also attends all of the events of Alexandra's House and is a grand champion and resource for all as well.
Marie Hauser is a gentle woman with a servant heart. She is a devoted wife and mother of four children. Marie was introduced to Alexandra's House at a church social and became its first volunteer. Marie’s heart was immediately set on fire for Alexandra's House because of her love for children and it continues to be so even more today. She now serves on our Board and is Director of Volunteers. Marie, a prayerful and humble woman, is one of our powerful intercessors. While her introduction seems brief, it does not diminish the love all have for her or the selfless service she provides to Alexandra's House and those we serve.