Denver Health throws NICU graduate reunion party

Denver Health Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) staff hosted a reunion party Saturday for families who spent time in Denver Health’s NICU. Caregivers and children of all ages joined in the fun and laughter to reunite with the care teams who helped newborns grow strong and supported families along the journey. 

“All of the nurses who saved my son’s life, they deserve to see him,” said Evelyn Usher, whose son, Daecion, was born at 28 weeks and spent two months in the NICU. “They’re a big part of his life, and I just wanted to come here and celebrate them.” 

September is Neonatal Intensive Care Awareness Month, which honors the NICU patients, their families, and the professionals who provide them with care. Every year more than half a million families will be admitted to a neonatal intensive care unit, according to the National Perinatal Association. That means about 1 in 10 families with newborns will pass through the NICU. 

“It's very rewarding for our staff to reunite with children we have cared for in the NICU,” Jacqueline Dicharry, RN, co-chair of the Patient and Family Advisory Committee at Denver Health, said. “We love to see how much the children have grown and how far they’ve come since they graduated from our NICU.” 

One in three babies born in the City and County of Denver are born at Denver Health, and the health system is on pace this year to deliver more babies than ever. With such a busy delivery floor, Denver Health’s NICU staff believes that caring for newborns in the NICU requires a team approach and partners with families to care for their children. 

“Parents are not just visitors in the NICU; they are a critical part of our care team,” Megan Turner, MD, neonatologist at Denver Health, said.