ALTON - Community members have the chance to support a local family through a difficult pregnancy.
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Starting at 1 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 14, 2024, at VFW Post 1308 in Alton, people can enjoy live music, food, a 50/50 raffle, basket drawings and more at a benefit for Alaina Jones. Alaina is 20 weeks pregnant with twin girls, and she has experienced challenges throughout her pregnancy. Her mother, Natalie Jones, explained that Alaina, her partner Devin and their son Louis are a “great family” who could use some extra support.
“It’s a super high-risk pregnancy,” Natalie said. “They’re a young couple. They’re a great family. They have a young son, Louis, and they just wanted to expand their family. They’re just going through a rough time, and [Devin] is having to take off a lot of work to take her and take care of her. So we thought we’d put together this benefit to help them get through this.”
The twins are monochorionic diamniotic, meaning there is one placenta with two amniotic sacs. One of the twins is “thriving,” while the other “is not doing so good,” Natalie said. Alaina and Devin will find out more about the twins’ conditions in the next week.
Throughout the pregnancy, Alaina has struggled with her own health problems. She was diagnosed with preeclampsia and spends several days a week at Barnes-Jewish Hospital. A few days ago, the staff at Barnes-Jewish Hospital checked her for heart failure and found that she has fluid around her heart, so they are closely monitoring Alaina’s health.
Alaina will eventually be hospitalized in the days or weeks leading up to the twins’ birth, and the babies will spend time in the NICU after they are born. The benefit aims to raise money to offset these medical costs so Alaina and Devin can focus on their family and the health of their daughters.
“They are wonderful parents and are struggling trying to make it through this pregnancy and what's to come after,” Natalie said. “In today’s world, so many of the dads or moms don’t stick it out and don’t stick together, and they’re together. There’s nothing going to break them. They’re just a good family, and I just want them to have a little support so that they can make it and not get discouraged or lose faith.”
At the benefit on Saturday, Sept. 14, attendees can enjoy music by Mark and the Angry Heart, Psychedelic Symphony, and Last Stand. The basket raffles include a set of luggage donated by Prairie State Gaming and a locally harvested and preserved hornet’s nest, among other items. Alaina will take home half of the 50/50 drawing and one lucky winner will receive the other half of the pot. There will be food provided by the VFW.
Natalie hopes to see many people at the event on Saturday. She expressed her appreciation for the community’s support as her daughter navigates this pregnancy.
“It’s too big for words to explain,” Natalie said. “It just means the world. It means a lot that everybody’s coming out to support her.”
For more information about the benefit, visit the official event page on Facebook. You can also donate via CashApp.
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