Medway family fosters children born to mothers addicted to opioids

MEDWAY, Mass. — With a growing opioid epidemic throughout our nation, one family in Medway is doing its part to stop the addiction crisis.

The family has fostered nearly 20 children born to mothers addicted to opioids. And, the family has adopted five of the children they fostered.

Tami and Shelly Sepelveda decided to foster opioid addicted children after seeing first-hand in the NICU babies struggling to survive when born to opioid-addicted mothers.

"It's total chaos," said Tami Sepelveda.

Over the years, the couple has fostered 18 children who were born to opioid-addicted mothers.

"There’s so many babies. There’s so many babies born on drugs," said Tami Sepelveda.

According to a federal study, the number of women who were addicted to opioids when they delivered babies quadrupled between 1999 AND 2014.

The family has cared for and loved several children in their darkest times.

"I'm ten," said Shaelin Sepelveda, who was adopted by the family.

Tami said Shaelin "was probably our most exposed baby. She was on morphine for 30 days, trying to get off. She would shake and excessively suck on a binky and cry."

But you'd never know it, thanks to the care Shaelin received from her adopted parents.

The fifth grader knew early on how fortunate she was and told Boston 25 News she wants to adopt children of her own someday.

"It gives kids a home (cover) and when you make them come into your life, it makes you feel good because you’re doing right for the world," Shaelin said.

Tami says that's what will help end the opioid epidemic - giving kids a happy and healthy home by breaking the cycle of children growing up with drug-addicted parents.

"You always hear people say you can’t help them all but we did help these 6, you know? So it feels really good to help these kids and see their progress," Tami said.

The couple says right now they're at full capacity. But they hope to inspire other families to look into fostering and hopefully adopting opioid-addicted babies.

Cox Media Group