Meet Our Miracle Baby
“Miracle baby” is a term used often in the NICU by parents who watch their baby battle for life, conquer all odds, and survive. For Gabby Ashworth, “Miracle Baby” means more than most of us can imagine. Gabby’s parents, Nathalia and Aaron, believe Gabby is proof that miracles do exist and they pray those miracles continue. “The odds she beat are incredible. The amount of miracles during her journey is phenomenal.”
Gabby’s journey began last February when her parents traveled from their home outside of Boston to St. John to celebrate Gabby’s impending arrival. They weren’t expecting Nathalia’s water to break early or for her uterus to be infected. She was taken by boat to St. Thomas, where they spent a night at the hospital, before being airlifted to Miami for an emergency C-section. Gabby was born prematurely at 24 weeks, only 1 lb & 1 oz and with a lot of infections.
Nathalia said, “The first month was the worst. I thought I’m going to get a call that she didn’t make it.”
Gabby had respiratory distress, acute organ failure and seizures. She also had NEC, a serious intestinal disease, twice… the first time, treated with antibiotics and the second time, surgery to remove part of her intestines.
“It was horrifying. We didn’t know the world of the NICU existed. It was one thing after another. I had a lot of anxiety. I felt claustrophobic, as if the walls were coming in,” said Aaron.
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Meet the Voices of Our Family Advisory Council
ICU baby is proud to announce the formation of our first Family Advisory Council. Welcome to the following founding members of the FAC: Alejandro Llanos Chea, Janet Castro, Katherine Reyes, Paul McDowell, Shayna Dominguez, and Shakeema Smiley. ICU baby supported these six very special families during their baby’s NICU stay and they made a lasting impression on the ICU baby team in their compassion for the wellbeing of future NICU families. The Council will provide feedback on ICU baby’s current programs and new initiatives. They will also serve as a vital link between ICU baby and South Florida’s community of NICU families.
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ICU baby’s Role in FPQC Kick Off Event
The Florida Perinatal Quality Collaborative (FPQC) launched its family centered, skin-to-skin care initiative last month and ICU baby was honored to play a role in the kick off conference! Keynote, family panel speakers included members of the ICU baby Family…. Monica Babich, Shakema Smiley and Fabian Tejedor Gabrielita. These parents captured the spotlight as they spoke of their NICU experience and their skin-to-skin time with their baby in the hospital. ICU baby CEO, Elizabeth Simonton, presented on the importance of including families in rounds and Lelis Vernon, a primary leader of the FPQC initiative, spoke about how critical family support groups are to parents with a baby in the NICU. It was a moving and impactful afternoon as neonatologists and nurses from around the State of Florida came together with the focus of creating more family centered NICU care.
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Mitzvah Day Volunteers Break Our Project in a Box Record
The families of Temple Beth Sholom did not let COVID get in the way of actively doing good this Mitzvah Day! For the fifth consecutive year, the Temple selected ICU baby as one its Mitzvah Day service projects. Due to COVID health restrictions, this year’s service project was done remotely through our Project-in-a-Box initiative. Seventeen families helped prepare items and assembled a record 80 NICU Packs for families with a baby in the NICUs at South Miami Hospital of Baptist Health and Holtz Children’s Hospital at Jackson Memorial Hospital. ICU baby is appreciative of the families of Temple Beth Sholom for their support throughout the years.
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The Junior League of Miami Gives Back
The Junior League of Miami continued their support of NICU babies who go into foster care when discharged from Holtz Children’s Hospital at Jackson Memorial Hospital. For the second year, Junior League members generously donated new baby items and packed 24 Foster Care Baby Packs for the babies that will be entering the foster care system once they are discharged from the hospital. Junior League volunteers also beautifully decorated nearly 100 canvas tote bags for NICU families. ICU baby is grateful for the Junior League’s continued commitment and looks forward to future collaborations.
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Gratitude for Our Givers
ICU baby thanks all of the individuals, foundations, and companies who made monetary and in-kind contributions. We especially appreciate your support during this pandemic.
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Adam & Nathan Mendelson Foundation
Impact Deposits Corp
Renata Aurelius
Monica Babich
Nikki Baron
Deborah Benedict
Molly Groom
Joseph Grund
Cynthia Hudson
David Landau
Alissa Landin
Claudia Lovera Deen
Lori Maltz
Gabriela Medeiros Humbles
Meg Nocero
Marianella Pacanins Aranda
Valeria Rodriguez
Alex Rodriguez
Anne Rothman
Elizabeth Simonton
Lisa Sutton
Diana Traska
Lara Traska
Wendy Wallberg
Lorna Williams
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Donors that contributed $50 or more in February and March are listed above. All donations, no matter the amount, are needed and appreciated. |
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Can you help NICU families too?
Click on the link below to donate to our programs.
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ICU baby Youth Ambassadors Making a Difference
Written by Youth Ambassador VP, Stella Bilirakis
Although COVID-19 has introduced many barriers this year, ICU baby continues to create interactive experiences for NICU families such as this month’s virtual storytimes. In efforts to continue ICU baby’s goal to spread hope, support, and inspiring stories with NICU families, ICU baby’s Youth Ambassadors took the lead for NICU Sibling’s month. Four eager ambassadors: Daniel, Stella, Amelia, and one of our Ambassador liaisons, Isabella and her daughter, showed their support for NICU siblings by reading charming children’s stories each Saturday for the month of March. Not only did these events highlight the Youth Ambassador’s initiative of providing love and support to NICU siblings, but it also enabled our families to hear the ambassadors’ personal stories as NICU siblings themselves or NICU graduates. If you missed the Saturday readings during their live broadcast, you can still watch them through the Instagram stories @icubaby_org.
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Join us to Plan a Walk in Honor of NICU Babies
Are you ready to get some fresh air and a little exercise in honor of NICU babies? ICU baby will host its first annual, COVID-safe, fun walk this November 2021, to gather our NICU community in celebration of miracle babies and in remembrance of those who didn’t survive their NICU journey. Former NICU babies, of any age, are invited to join with their family, friends, health care teams, and community members. ICU baby has started to plan this event but we can use your help! If you are interested in joining our committee or learning about sponsorship opportunities, please email events@icubaby.org.
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Sharing Stories of Hope from the NICU
ICU baby has launched NICU Stories this month, a video series on Instagram’s IGTV, where NICU parents tell their remarkable stories. In an intimate and heartfelt video, Cindy shared her story of her son AJ’s birth and her emotional NICU journey with him. During the first week of every month, ICU baby will invite a parent to share their story so that other NICU parents can relate and so as to spread awareness and inspire HOPE. If you’d like to be featured in our IGTV video series NICU Stories, please email us at media@icubaby.
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ICU baby's Teammate of the Quarter
The depth of ICU baby’s compassionate team of volunteers extends far beyond our very special Parent Support Team. In fact, one of ICU baby’s most cherished and impactful volunteers is a Mother that did not have a NICU experience of her own. Katie Nullman has always said that she fell in love with ICU baby because she is able to give back to her local community, and her neighbors who are struggling with a baby in the hospital. And, help ICU baby she has! Katie Co-Chaired ICU baby’s Cocktails for a Cause raising thousands of dollars to support ICU baby’s programs.
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She has also Co-Chaired a Temple Beth Sholom Mitzvah Day Event for 5 years, leading families in the preparation of 275+ NICU Packs and countless letters of encouragement and love from children to NICU parents. Katie advocates for ICU baby at every opportunity and has truly defined the saying that “the heart of a volunteer is not measured in size, but in depth of commitment to make a difference in the lives of others.” Katie’s tireless work with ICU baby has touched the lives of hundreds of NICU families and the ICU baby team is forever grateful to her for her unconditional love for the cause. |
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New Volunteers
ICU baby Welcomes its New Volunteers.
- Haviva Gelman | Telesupport
- Jenna Luque | Telesupport
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Calling Former NICU Parents to Join Our Team
ICU baby is expanding its Bereavement Program and is looking for former NICU parents who are interested in joining our team and giving back in a meaningful way. Volunteers will provide grief support to NICU parents whose baby doesn’t survive. We welcome volunteers who speak English, Spanish, and Creole. Please email vanesa@icubaby.org for more information.
ICU baby is also looking for English, Spanish, and Creole-speaking Telesupport Volunteers for our Parent-to-Parent Support Program. If you are a former NICU Parent and interested in helping to support current NICU families through their challenging NICU journey, please email the VP of Volunteer Engagement, Vanesa Salvo, at vanesa@icubaby.org.
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ICU Angels
Even the smallest of feet have the power to leave everlasting footprints.
We, at ICU baby, remember our NICU families who have lost their babies this year. They will forever be in our hearts.
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Photos for ICU Hope
Calling all NICU families … we need your HOPE! … Please send media@icubaby.org a picture of your baby from the NICU and now! Please include the gestational age when born, birth weight, length of NICU stay, and how he or she is doing now. Please also include your social media information if you would like ICU baby to tag you. We will feature your baby on our social media to give current NICU the HOPE they need during their toughest NICU days!
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