BY KAREN E. BOWES
Staff Writer
PHOTOSBY MIGUEL JUAREZ staff Above, tae kwon do students set their mind “in focus” during the Saturday practice in preparation for the March of Dimes charity event at Brookdale, where they plan to show their stuff. At left, Emily Birardi practices some kicks. Far left, Michael Triozzi of the Matawan Tae Kwon Do School practice some kicks during a Saturday class. Take a deep breath and be grateful you have lungs.Bryan Klein, father of two young children born premature, knows firsthand the importance of prenatal lung development.
“This has touched my life in a personal way,” said Klein, owner of several tae kwon do schools in Monmouth County.
Six years ago, when pregnant with their first child, Klein’s wife Laurie Melzak-Klein underwent experimental surgery in order to protect their unborn son, Elijah, from the risks associated with premature birth.
Melzak-Klein had lost all her amniotic fluid during her 17th week of pregnancy following a routine amniocentesis, a routine in which a needle is pushed through the abdomen and into the birth sac to remove a small amount of fluid in order to detect birth defects, according to Mount Sinai hospital research.
The puncture from an amniocentesis usually seals on its own, but did not in Melzak-Klein’s case. After three weeks of leakage, the baby’s chances of survival were slim, as the liquid in the birth sac is necessary for lung development, according to a research article published on the Mount Sinai Hospital Web site.
“They said there was no hope for our child,” Klein said.
By chance, the Kleins were referred to Dr. Bruce Young at New York University, a leader in reproductive surgery.
“I knew I had to operate in order to give the fetus a chance of developing normally,” Dr. Young said in the article. “Laurie is also diabetic, which further raises the risk of severe infection and subsequent sterility caused by the pregnancy. So, with the leakage, her chances of having a full-term pregnancy were almost zero.”
Melzak-Klein was the first woman in New Jersey to undergo the surgery, a surgery that at the time had only been attempted by one other physician in the world, according to Mount Sinai Hospital.
“We had nothing to lose and everything to gain,” Klein said.
Son Elijah, now 5, was born at less than 3 pounds, but because of the experimental surgery, was able to breathe on his own at birth and remains otherwise healthy.
Now Klein, along with John Arena, owner of United Taekwondo Academy in Matawan, are teaming up to raise funds and awareness about premature birth defects.
“One out of eight children in New Jersey are born premature,” Klein said. “Many suffer from cerebral palsy and can have various physical limitations. Why not try to put an end to premature birth and give more kids a chance to live a healthy lifestyle?”
The martial arts instructor hopes to do just that by sponsoring a tae kwon do demonstration benefit later this month at Brookdale Community College’s Collins Arena, all proceeds will go toward the March of Dimes, a leading researcher in lung development in babies born prematurely, among other causes.
According to Arena, “The best way to lead is by example. Part of our program is character development. What better way to teach kids then have them helping other kids.”
In addition to the tae kwon do show, Klein is offering four weeks of classes at a reduced rate of $49, with all funds to benefit the March of Dimes.
Tickets for the Jan. 23 show are $20 each and are available by calling (732) 536-4797. Tickets can also be purchased the day of the show before 1 p.m.