It was a day for reunions on the grounds of Virtua Voorhees Hospital on Sept. 28, as more than 2,500 people gathered for the hospital’s biennial Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) reunion.
The carnival-themed celebration brought together children who were given specialized NICU care, along with their parents and the doctors, nurses and staff who cared for them during early, fragile days.
A Virtua tradition for more than 20 years, the event featured face painting, bounce houses, miniature train rides, music and refreshments. This year’s reunion was the largest in hospital history and celebrated the journeys of children who weighed as little as 1 pound at birth and sometimes spent 100 days or more in the hospital before going home.
“It fills our hearts to see the babies we care for grow into these incredible toddlers, kids and teens,” said Renee Smith, nursing director of the NICU. “The energy at the NICU reunion is off the charts. It is pure joy to see everyone together.”
The NICU team at Virtua Voorhees provides care for more than 900 newborns and their families each year. Many of those patients require highly specialized treatment, and for parents whose children are currently in the hospital, the NICU reunion can provide a lift.
“The reunion offers a powerful message of hope to parents who currently have a child in the NICU,” explained NICU nurse and event co-planner Coree Cappuccio. “Seeing children who were once in similar situations – some of whom spent 100 days or more in our care – now growing into thriving young people, gives parents a great sense of encouragement and inspiration.”
For many families, the reunion is not only a chance to reconnect with caregivers, but also celebrate milestones they once thought impossible.
“Our first NICU reunion was more than 20 years ago,” recalled Nancy Corn, unit nurse and fellow event co-planner. “The patients from those days are adults now, but in some way they will always be our precious NICU babies, even the ones who are taller than me!”
The NICU staff say the reunion feels much like a family gathering, and with good reason.
“The event continues to grow because of the strong relationships between our colleagues and the families we care for,” Cappuccio observed. “We enjoy keeping in touch with these families. We love seeing the children grow bigger and stronger.
“We call it the NICU reunion because it feels so much like a family reunion.”
For the nurses, doctors, and caregivers, the day is a reminder of why they chose their profession.
“It’s joyful and reminds our team why we got into health care and caring for newborns specifically,” said Daniel Moise of Virtua Health media relations.
The hospital continues to expand its family-centered initiatives, from its NICU Wall of Hope featuring then-and-now photos of former patients, to a recently launched doula program to provide additional emotional and physical support to new mothers.
“Our nurses are the backbone of the NICU,” Smith pointed out. “Their role goes far beyond medical treatment: They build trust, provide guidance and support families during some of the most challenging times of their lives.
“Seeing these children return years later, healthy and thriving, is the greatest reward.”
