Hope, Strength, and Community: The Rukamp Family’s Story

August 22nd, 2025 | Our Families

When Brittany and Justin Rukamp found out they were expecting their second baby girl, they were overjoyed. Their oldest daughter, Olivia, couldn’t wait to be a big sister. But that excitement quickly turned to fear when doctors delivered the devastating news that their unborn daughter, Teagan, had been diagnosed with CDH (Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia), a life-threatening condition that gave her less than a 50% chance of survival. 

After many long conversations with specialists, Brittany and Justin made the courageous decision to pursue a rare prenatal procedure to give Teagan a better chance at life. In April 2024, they traveled to Madison for the FETO (Fetoscopic Endoluminal Tracheal Occlusion) balloon procedure. When Brittany was just 30 weeks into her pregnancy, their pediatric surgeon placed a balloon about the size of a grain of rice in Teagan’s throat, helping her lungs fill with fluid so they could grow stronger before birth. 

That’s when RMHC-Madison entered their lives. 

We welcomed the Rukamp family before Teagan was even born, providing Brittany a place to stay near the hospital while on modified bed rest. Once Teagan arrived, our House continued to be a lifeline during her NICU stay where she had more procedures and faced each one with incredible strength. For 126 days, RMHC-Madison was the Rukamp family’s home away from home – giving them the chance to stay together, focus on their daughters, and find moments of normalcy in the midst of uncertainty.

During their stay, our staff and volunteers had the joy of getting to know the Rukamps and watching Olivia fill the House with her energy and laughter. Their strength and resilience left a lasting impression on us all. 

Today, Teagan is thriving. She breathes on her own, is growing stronger through therapy, and fills her family’s days with joy. Though she still has a journey ahead, Brittany and Justin describe her as their miracle, and every day with her as a gift. 

This year, we were honored to feature the Rukamps as our Mission Moment family at the Red Shoe Soiree, and they were highlighted in our Red Shoe Soiree video alongside other families and friends of RMHC-Madison. Their journey is a powerful reminder of why RMHC exists: to keep families close, so they never have to face life’s hardest moments alone. 

Watch our Red Shoe Soiree Mission Moment video featuring the Rukamps here.