Volunteer Ultrasound Saves Omaha Baby Bennett's Life

Kelsey Kelley thought she'd found the perfect way to spend an hour at 30 weeks pregnant: volunteering for a student ultrasound at Nebraska Methodist College and relaxing in a dark, quiet room. Instead, that decision saved her baby's life.

The scan took longer than expected. Baby Bennett was in an awkward position, making it hard to get clear images.

Then instructor Mandi Tanner noticed something unusual. A section of the baby's bowel appeared dilated, a warning sign of a possible blockage.

Tanner immediately filed a report and urged Kelsey to call her doctor. Within hours, her OB/GYN team called back with urgent concern.

Within a week, Kelsey sat across from high-risk specialist Dr. Matthew Brady. She walked in thinking she was wasting his time, but his relief at the volunteer scan changed everything.

Dr. Brady confirmed the problem. Without that training ultrasound, Kelsey would never have had another scan before delivery.

"Without the volunteer scan, there would have been no medical reason for an additional ultrasound to be done in her pregnancy," Dr. Brady explained. That single observation triggered a coordinated chain of care that made all the difference.

At 33 weeks, Kelsey's water broke. Bennett arrived on November 23rd, and medical teams were ready.

He needed three surgeries and spent 70 days in the NICU. But because doctors knew what to expect, they could act immediately.

"I would have just fed him like usual, and there's a high likelihood his bowel would have perforated," Kelsey said. "It's high risk for infection and other complications. It would have just been a lot more complicated to fix."

The Ripple Effect

For Tanner, watching her students learn from Bennett's case created a powerful teaching moment. They witnessed firsthand how a routine training scan can catch problems that change outcomes.

"Every scan that we do matters," Tanner said. "What we do will make an impact on the healthcare community."

The experience showed her students that volunteer programs serve a dual purpose. They provide essential training while offering expectant mothers extra screening that might catch what standard care misses.

Nebraska Methodist College continues seeking volunteers for sonography training. Each session trains the next generation of medical professionals while potentially identifying issues that might otherwise go undetected until birth.

Bennett is now home and thriving, a living reminder that sometimes the smallest acts of volunteering create the biggest miracles.