STOUGHTON - Amanda Brigden, who resides on a farm east of Stoughton, is a photographer with a deeply personal connection to her craft, using her lens to capture moments that speak to the heart.
Her work goes beyond creating beautiful images; it is a tribute to the two little boys who changed her life forever. Brigden’s sons spent time in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) in Regina, a challenging experience that has since fuelled her commitment to give back.
Brigden and her husband Devon struggled with having children, so they traveled to Calgary and did In vitro fertilization. This was successful for the couple and Brigden was carrying her first child, but things did not go as smoothly as they had hoped.
She had placental abruption, and she was taken to the hospital. Brigden was bleeding and given magnesium and steroids, but after three days began to hemorrhage.
Being pregnant at 29 weeks, she was rushed into surgery for a C-Section, and baby Barrett was born at three pounds and 14 ounces. Barrett remained in the NICU for seven weeks, and when he reached seven pounds, he was able to go home.
Today Barrett is five years old and is a healthy, vibrant boy who keeps both his parents on their toes.
The couple wanted another child, so they returned to Calgary once more for the procedure, and once again Brigden was pregnant.
Having issues the first time around, the couple only hoped that this pregnancy might go full term, but it did not happen.
She had ultrasounds every two weeks and things seemed to go smoothly, but at 34 weeks her water broke. Devon drove her to Regina and once again she had a C-section; this time her second son Broderick came out screaming and breathing.
They spent four nights in NICU and 15 days in the hospital under oxygen. His oxygen level at one time was too low and he could not go home until it was regular.
Brigden felt a great deal of guilt, as she had a son at home and struggled with her emotions on how her older son was managing without her.
An older nurse told her to go home and be with her son, as the baby would not remember that Brigden was not present. These were words she needed to hear.
She praised the Regina NICU for the excellent care that she and her sons received while in the hospital.
As a mother who understands the emotional and physical challenges of having children in the NICU, Brigden has turned her photography into a fundraising tool.
She raises funds for the NICU through her pictures, with the proceeds from her work going to support the unit that once provided life-saving care to her sons.
Brigden’s journey into photography began before her sons were born, but the experience of watching them fight for their lives in the NICU gave her a new perspective.
In 2019, she held her first fundraiser at the Happy Nun Café in Forget. She wanted to raise enough money to buy three thermometers. Santa pictures were on the menu, and she raised $1,300 for the cause.
For 2020 and 2021, Bridgen did the same thing with mini Santa photo sessions and was able to raise $700 each year. In 2022, she did Christmas ornaments and raised $200.
Wheatfield mini sessions were on the agenda for 2023. She had four families book and raised $400.
On Sept. 22, her business ABSees is offering mini sessions once more for $75, with all the proceeds going to the NICU in Regina. This gives people three images, but they can purchase more if they wish.
For Brigden, each dollar raised is a step towards ensuring that other parents have access to the care and resources that were so crucial to her family.
Through her lens, Brigden continues to honour her sons’ journeys and make a difference in the lives of countless other families.
