The Project NICU Heart Award is given to NICU medical team professionals that have gone above and beyond for their hospital, patients and NICU community. Project NICU’s Heart Award offers families the opportunity to recognize special NICU medical professionals who have impacted their lives. Each recipient will receive a special Project NICU Heart keepsake, Project NICU gift and two VIP tickets to our annual Night for Babies event.

Congratulations!

2024 Project NICU Heart Award Recipients

dr. heather french, neonatologist at children’s hospital of philadelphia

Nominated by: rachel herdes

“Dasher was born very unexpectedly at 23 + 6 in March 2023. He had every complication a premature baby could have, and more. My husband and I felt so hopeless and lost in the endless weeks in the hospital. We couldn’t imagine being able to take our precious baby boy home, away from the loud beeping alarms and constant shuffle of people in a busy hospital. Then Dr. Heather French came along and saved us from our despair. She believed in Dasher and she believed in us. Not only did she take amazing medical care of our son, thoughtfully trying unique ideas, but she spent time with our family trying to figure out how to help us make it through the hardest time of our life. Dr. French went above and beyond to ensure that Dashers care was effective and enthusiastic. She served as our continuity provider throughout months in the NICU and checked in with our family and his team regularly. She was instrumental in Dasher’s successful transition to the PICU/floor and then home. She saved us from ourselves and made us realize that our family was real and possible. She gave us hope when we had none and treated us with such kindness and respect. We could not have asked for a better support. Dasher spend 192 days in the hospital before he was discharged home. He is now thriving and our family is whole. We can never thank Dr. French and the team at CHOP enough for our son’s life.”

sadie duncan, nicu nurse at akron children’s hospital

Nominated by: abby spokas

“Sadie has been JJs primary care nurse since day 1. She came in and decided right away she wanted to be his primary. She has been amazing ever since. she has gone the extra mile from keeping him comfortable with extra snuggles, making sure he is always clean - she gave him his first real bath with us - to giving me and my husband every opportunity we can get to snuggle him, be with him and teach us everything she knows. she has been the greatest advocate for us, even when she isn't here - her friend Desiree keeps an eye out for us as well, and tells her every update. I know that when I can't be there and or I need a break, that when she is there, I can count on her to give continue to give the love, support, strength, snuggles and care that my baby needs to strive to get home.
She has helped me and discussed personal issues as well, I had some post-partum complications and she never missed a beat. She supported my husband when he came in alone because I was admitted a second time to the hospital. She answered any phone calls, questions I had. She always made the nurses knew to keep the NICView on for me to see him when I couldn't be there.
She has supported any family member of ours that has walked through that door and had a terrified look on their face.
She has always kept our room festive, so it feels like the holidays aren't so bad in the NICU.
Sadie has been excellent to our little man and our family as a whole, and has been key to helping us get where we are today.”

Dr. Nachammai R. Chinnakaruppan MD, neonatologist at Lehigh valley hospital cedar crest

Nominated by: Rachael yuschak

“Our madison got group B strep meningitis and was in septic shock at 12 hours of life. I’m a labor and delivery nurse and knew what this meant. (I was GBS - at 36 weeks and had NOT received any antibiotics in labor). From the moment we reached NICU Dr. Chinna was there for us. She was direct, serious with us, explained everything, more than once, was patient, understanding and confident in her skills. At first some of these things may not sound like something a patient would want. As a nurse and my husband a doctor we NEEDED this from her. We needed someone to tell us our Odds. To tell us in medical terms the next step. She knew we didn’t need warm and fuzzy but we needed someone to take control. To tell two medical parents this is what is happening and this is how we are fighting it. For 21 days she was there maybe 16 of them. I felt like she lived in the NICU. As parents our best days were with Dr. Chinna. We knew she knew Madison, us, and we knew we could trust her. Most of all Dr. Chinna Saved our babies life. As a labor nurse, the greatest thing is still being able to see her. A few months after her delivery, she came down to see me. I gave her a hug and told her, you saved my baby. It was the greatest feeling looking her in the eyes and telling her what she meant to us. She will always be our Hero. In a very dark time, she was who kept us together. Who treated us like equals. Who gave our daughter the best possible outcome. Dr. Chinna, we love you.”

Mary Grace Hearon, Nicu nurse

Nominated by: Ayesha Mirza

“There are truly no words to express how grateful we are for Mary Grace and all that she has done for our sweet baby girl. Forced to deliver at just 23 weeks, after experiencing severe preeclampsia and HELLP syndrome, our darling Layla came into this world weighing less than a pound with a 50% chance of survival. During our early days in the NICU, when we were still coming to terms with her situation and recovering from the trauma of her birth, Mary Grace came into our lives and forever changed the direction of hers. We thank Mary Grace for choosing to be Layla’s overnight primary at just 3 weeks when she was impossibly small and required intense overnight monitoring and care. We thank her for making her nights feel less lonely without her parents there; for all the special attention and love and cuddles she gave her when she was wide awake and refused to sleep; for the nightly updates and smiley pictures letting us know she was okay. We thank her for allowing us to sleep easy knowing her guardian angel was there to watch over her at night; for decorating her room and creating the sweetest artwork with her growing hands and feet that we will cherish forever. We thank her for being that constant calm in the chaos of the NICU; for answering our a million and one questions; for teaching us how to care for her as a nurse would. We thank her for loving her the way a mother would; for advocating for Layla and always having her best interests at heart. We thank her for making us feel that our baby was someone special to her. And, above all, we thank Mary Grace for the tireless effort she put in to keeping our daughter alive and allowing her to thrive. Layla would not be where she is today, healthy and happy, defying all the odds, if not for the tender love and care Mary Grace gave her. She and Layla have the most special bond, and she still babysits Layla to this day. We owe everything to our NICU nurse and I can think of no one more deserving of this award.”

2023 Project NICU Heart Award Recipients

jessica stuart, Nicu nurse at cleveland clinic - hillcrest

Nominated by: ben & samantha bartley

“Our wonderful Nurse Jess was by our side from beginning to end of our 120-day NICU stay. It didn't matter if she was assigned to Calvin or not on any given day. She became the constant that we needed in what was an otherwise turbulent time. Jess is truly one of the most compassionate, positive, genuinely kind people we have ever met, all qualities that make for a perfect NICU nurse. As you can imagine, having a baby born 15 weeks early at 25 weeks is terrifying. Life changes instantly and drastically. Jess was with us in the first couple of days after Calvin arrived. She sat with us for hours, not only taking care of our son but taking care of us. We talked with Jess... A lot... About everything. She talked us through what was currently happening, to what to expect in the future, to normal life things outside of the NICU. Whether she realized it or not, these conversations are often what got us through the day. This was especially true for my wife, who spent the majority of her day, every day for 4 months, sitting at Calvin's bedside. Being the spectacular person she is, Jess had an array of interesting things going on outside of her work. But this never stopped her from putting her patients and families first. We always felt like we were the top priority, even at times when she wasn't working! In fact, during Calvin's NICU stay, Jess got married and texts checking on Calvin on both her wedding day AND while she was on her honeymoon! She was one of Calvin's biggest advocates and cheerleaders. Because she knew him so well, she was consistently proactive in working towards his next goals. For example, sitting with him to do a room air trial off cpap. She believed in Calvin just as much, and we did. She also found ways to add a bit of "normalcy" to Calvin’s day, such as getting him a stroller order so that they could take laps around the NICU or so he could sit with her while she charts!  Jess made it possible for us to continue to live our lives outside of the NICU. When we had a wedding to attend, we weren't sure if we could choose to go to the wedding and not the hospital. But Jess encouraged us, gave us the reassurance we needed to attend, and proceeded to text us pictures and updates the whole day, keeping our minds at ease! It is hard to leave your child. But when Jess was around, we were able to leave knowing he was in the best hands and possibly enjoying extra long cuddle sessions while watching their favorite show. We are all so incredibly thankful to have had Nurse Jess come into our lives when we needed her the most. She has since graduated to honorary “Aunt Jess” and we hope she will be in Calvin's life for years to come!”

rj carr, Nicu nurse at jersey shore university medical center

Nominated by: alyssa pedi

“After reading the description of the, “NICU Heart Award,” I immediately thought of my coworker and friend Rj. When I first met Rj I could tell right away that the NICU was where he belonged. Besides his impeccable ability to think fast on his feet and the wonderful head on his shoulders, he has one of the biggest hearts I have ever come across. Spending only 2 years together working in JSUMC’s NICU, I have seen Rj be a support system for every family, patient and coworker he interacts with. One shift I worked with Rj stands out to me the most and I feel that his actions are the pure definition of what the NICU Heart Award should be. It started out as a seemingly normal shift and before we knew it we had a smaller, yet stable, mom/baby come into our triage department. As Rj and myself were setting up for the arrival of our new little friend we could tell that the Mom was terrified for the next few hours (as any mom would be). I remember Rj speaking to the Mom and assuring her that her baby would be in the best care and that everything would work out. Before we knew it our stable situation turned critical and within the hour the baby was delivered STAT and in our NICU. Throughout this chaotic admission I would glance at Rj frequently and I could see an almost palpable bond forming between him and his new patient. To make a long story short, Rj took this baby as his primary from the day they were born and the rest is pure magic. Working the night shift it is more challenging to interact with parents, but Rj was able to not only take the baby into his care, but the family as well. He laughed with them, he cried with them and he led them both mentally and physically through the beautiful chaos that is the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. The care that Rj provides is beyond outstanding and is a standard every NICU nurse should strive for. He gives his heart to every patient, parent and team member he comes across and I truly consider him family. He is a backbone on our unit and he is a friendly face in the darkest of days. Rj continues to spread positivity and a little bit of magic among our unit and for this reason I feel he is the perfect person to be awarded this prestigious honor. As his friend and basically his family, I am so lucky to work with someone with a heart as immense as his.”

dr. samuel wong, Neonatologist at university of iowa stead family children’s hospital

Nominated by: courtney tripp-stuck

“Dr. Wong sat with me postpartum for over an hour just letting me cry, drawing diagrams, explaining everything happening with our baby. He also told me none of this was my fault, to focus on loving my baby, and that I was a good mom. He was my baby’s doctor, not mine, but after a traumatic birth and being at a different hospital than my baby, he was the first medical professional I felt actually looked at me, saw me, and helped me process my emotions so I could see hope. I remember he was there past sunset talking to us. He was only our baby’s doctor for a few days before his wife gave birth and he went on paternity leave, but he made such an impact that I still remember him three years later. I never got to thank him.”

bernadette massie, NICU NURse at LVHN Cedar Crest

Nominated by: Kelsey Schultz

“My daughter Addyson was born at 35 weeks, 1 day. We encountered tons of amazing staff members during our short stay, but Bernadette will surely be one that we will never forget. My husband went with my daughter to the NICU right after birth and when he came back he assured me that she was in great hands. As I was wheeled into the NICU for the first time, I got to meet Bernadette. She was so calm and caring and it helped create a small sense of relief in the midst of a chaotic, stressful situation. As the days went on we got to know Bernadette a bit more. We found out that we both were IUI moms and that her husband actually went to the same high school as me. We would sit at our daughter's bedside a majority of the day and that never phased Bernadette. She was happy to see us there and never made us feel that we were in the way or that we needed to leave, no matter what time of day it was. Our daughter was struggling with feeding and she spent so much time with us teaching us tips and tricks to help her meet her required amount. When she needed a feeding tube put in I had such a hard time with it. Bernadette was so supportive and reminded us it was only used if she absolutely needed it and that it was only temporary. We are so thankful for all the things she taught us that we would've never thought of as first time parents. We had such a sense of relief when we walked in and saw that Bernadette was Addyson's nurse for the day. We knew while she was in her care she truly was going to be loved and cared for like she was her own. We will never be able to thank Bernadette enough and we surely will never ever forget her. We ended up being discharged on a day she was not in. Luckily for us, Bernadette has been amazing in helping me coordinate our project NICU bag drop offs! We have gotten to see her again and thank her for all she did for us during that challenging time!”

june 2023- ruby ruano, NICU NURse at mercy san juan

Nominated by: brandan smith

“Back in April 11th 2021, I met nurse Ruby less than 24 hours after Reese was born at 26&6 and 623 grams due to HELLP syndrome. Over the next 110 days Ruby became family. I walked into our private room sleep deprived, exhausted, stressed, and scared, but she made that room feel like home. During her first few hours with Reese and myself (since my wife was still recovering) she already assigned herself to Reese as her primary night nurse (7pm - 7am). I had no idea what that meant at the time, but I was thankful someone would be a familiar face for us. After that first full night in the NICU I went back to my wife and told her all about Ruby because I knew they would get along, and boy was I right! Ruby was quickly becoming family. We exchanged personal phone numbers, talked about our families, her family, interests which included a lot of food, tv shows, and wine…. I mean a lot of food! Ever night we would get back to the NICU after dinner we would talk about where we went and what we ate. Ruby even got Reese a David Rose outfit with glasses from Schitts Creek to dress her up in the NICU. After discharge we stayed close with Ruby. Keeping her up to date with how Reese was doing, asking her medical questions after google scared us, cheese and wine days, or happy hours. Ruby has made it a point to get shifts swapped in order to make it to Reese’s birthday parties and even brings along her husband. Ruby and her husband don’t have their own family close by, so we make sure our door is always open for holidays. This past Thanksgiving Ruby had to work and her husband was all lone, so we made sure he came over to enjoy Thanksgiving with us and sent him home with leftovers for Ruby when she got off. They opened theirs hearts to our baby girl, so we want to do whatever we can for them. I know there are a lot of amazing medical professionals inside and outside of the NICU, but we have been blessed with Ruby. She has forever changed our lives, not only as a nurse but as a life long friend. Thank you will never be enough!"

Nominated by: brandan smith

“Back in April 11th 2021, I met nurse Ruby less than 24 hours after Reese was born at 26&6 and 623 grams due to HELLP syndrome. Over the next 110 days Ruby became family. I walked into our private room sleep deprived, exhausted, stressed, and scared, but she made that room feel like home. During her first few hours with Reese and myself (since my wife was still recovering) she already assigned herself to Reese as her primary night nurse (7pm - 7am). I had no idea what that meant at the time, but I was thankful someone would be a familiar face for us. After that first full night in the NICU I went back to my wife and told her all about Ruby because I knew they would get along, and boy was I right! Ruby was quickly becoming family. We exchanged personal phone numbers, talked about our families, her family, interests which included a lot of food, tv shows, and wine…. I mean a lot of food! Ever night we would get back to the NICU after dinner we would talk about where we went and what we ate. Ruby even got Reese a David Rose outfit with glasses from Schitts Creek to dress her up in the NICU. After discharge we stayed close with Ruby. Keeping her up to date with how Reese was doing, asking her medical questions after google scared us, cheese and wine days, or happy hours. Ruby has made it a point to get shifts swapped in order to make it to Reese’s birthday parties and even brings along her husband. Ruby and her husband don’t have their own family close by, so we make sure our door is always open for holidays. This past Thanksgiving Ruby had to work and her husband was all lone, so we made sure he came over to enjoy Thanksgiving with us and sent him home with leftovers for Ruby when she got off. They opened theirs hearts to our baby girl, so we want to do whatever we can for them. I know there are a lot of amazing medical professionals inside and outside of the NICU, but we have been blessed with Ruby. She has forever changed our lives, not only as a nurse but as a life long friend. Thank you will never be enough!"

may 2023- taylor leisring, NICU NURse at cincinnati children’s Hospital

Nominated by: Sicari Harned

“Our daughter was born at 24 weeks and 2 days. We spent 130 days in the NICU, 12 days at our birthing hospital before transferring to Cincinnati Children’s Hospital for higher-level care. During our time we encountered many nurses, doctors, therapists, and other staff. Some stick out for good reasons and some not so good reasons. One nurse, in particular, stood out and was the first member of our daughter’s care team. From the beginning, Taylor saw our baby for who she would be at the end of our NICU stay. Common with micro-preemies they tend to brady/desat quite often. While others saw her as a difficult patient, she saw her as the feisty fighter she is. She often said, “I love that sassy feisty girl” and we knew she meant it. Taylor always went above and behind to make our stay as normal as possible. From spa day (bath day) with a towel head wrap and bubbles, to decorating her NICU room. Our favorite has to be the fashion shows! Before she could wear clothes, Taylor made sure her isolette had the cutest sheets and quilt to keep the light out, she was always the most fashionable baby in the NICU. When she could wear clothes Taylor always kept her dressed the BEST. TONS OF PINK. While these examples are not necessarily medical care, things like this brought us comfort in the NICU. We always had confidence that our daughter would be well taken care of when she was working. At every step of our journey, Taylor was there. Whether she was assigned to our daughter or not. From q1 one neuro checks, high sodium, to bottle feeds and to discharge, Taylor was there every step of the way."

2022 Project NICU Heart Award Recipients

2021 Project NICU Heart Award Recipients

January 2021- Dr. Maria Battaglia, MD MS-Cohen Children's Medical Center

Nominated by: alexandra Thomas

Dr. Maria Battaglia was basically at our side from the beginning of our NICU experience, whether she was assigned or not. She has this calming, friendly bedside manner, while also giving the most in depth, but not completely terrifying explanations of what was happening with our daughter Eliana. We were always happy to hear from her, even over our attendings! We would always be so sad when she would rotate off of our case every two weeks, or switch hospitals for the month. But no matter what, if she was there, she was popping in to check on Eliana, but also, to check on us. How WE were. And honestly, it is something I will never forget as long as I live. It was all about her in the NICU, yes, but it was also about us and how we were surviving and getting thru it. To this day, 8 months out, we have become friendly. She follows Eliana's journey and insists on us texting with any questions (free of charge!). She also left a dinner she was having, to come into work, in her outstanding style to come see Eliana in the ER to make sure she was receiving top treatment. She is hands down, one of the best there is, and I have been waiting to be able to nominate her for something like this.

2020 Project NICU Heart Award Recipients

December 2020 -Michelle Scheetz, Physical Therapist, University Hospitals Rainbown Babies & childrens

Nominated by: stephanie clark

Where to start...Michelle is absolutely amazing. She is compassionate, bubbly, sensitive, and always has a smile on her face. She knows how to be gentle with both her patients and her patients’ families. She formed an incredible bond with my son that I will never forget. I always joked that Michelle was one of my son’s top 3 favorite people (the others being myself and my husband), and I don’t think she was number three haha. She helped my son achieve physical milestones that I didn’t think were possible. Most important was her ever present smile. No matter how difficult the day had been, she knew how to make us feel better. My husband and I are truly grateful to have crossed paths with such an amazing person, and she deserves recognition for the incredible work she does.

November 2020 -Nicole terzigni, RN, hillcrest hospital

Nominated by: Katie miller

I would like to nominate Nicole Terzigni, Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) Nurse who primaried our son throughout his 117-day stay at Cleveland Clinic’s Hillcrest Hospital from October 2018 – February 2019.

Our son Theo was born 15 weeks early via emergency c-section the morning of October 26 th . My pregnancy had been progressing normally up to this point, so his early and unexpected arrival left my husband and I both in complete shock. Theo was bon at 25 weeks and 4 days and weighed 1 lb 10 oz.

After his birth, he was quickly stabilized and taken to the NICU where we spent the next 4 months pleading with God to save our son. Over the course of this time, he acquired a crew of gracious and determined primary nurses thanks to Jackie Ludwig, NICU Nurse, who admitted Theo. Jackie went to high school with my husband and decided to take Theo on as her primary. She set up a team of nursing peers who rallied around him as primaries throughout his stay. One of these nurses was Nicole Terzigni.

Nicole was primarying Theo on a day he received his first of several blood transfusions and I was a nervous wreck. I watched her move around the room with such grace and precision as more IV poles, pumps and cords crowded the room and engulfed our son. As new NICU parents, you are forced to make life saving decisions for your child with the guidance of medical professionals around you and all you can do is hope the decisions you are making are the best ones for your child. That day, Nicole put our fears at ease by answering our questions and concerns and reassuring us that we were doing everything in Theo’s best interest. When you are forced to face each minute with such uncertainty, the tiniest bit of reassurance and hope gives you the strength you need to keep going.

Nicole quickly formed a bond with Theo and with our family. We both come from an Italian heritage so the constant revolving door of food, family and friends inside of Room 21 over the course of many months did not surprise her. One morning I walked into Theo’s room and found her rocking him while listening to Frank Sinatra, she said, “Good morning! We’re having Italian time!” It’s one of my fondest memories.

Nicole was a preemie herself, born at Hillcrest Hospital at 36 weeks. She was 3 lbs and 14 oz and stayed in their NICU before it was the state-of-the-art 35-bed Level III nursery unit that it is today. Being a primary is a voluntary act of service and we cannot thank Nicole enough for choosing our son. We feel extremely grateful for the care and kindness we received from her throughout our stay and continue to stay in touch. Theo was discharged 16 days after his due date on February 20 th . Today he’s a happy, healthy, fully adjusted 2-year old and as Frank would say, the best is yet to come!

October 2020 -Marsha Ann Anderson, RN, Wellstar Cobb Hospital

Nominated by: Katie thomas

I am honored and humbled to nominate Marsha Ann Anderson, RN NICU CC III at Wellstar Cobb Hospital, for the Project NICU Heart Award. Ann was one of our primary NICU nurses for our son Jack. She calmed any fear my husband and I had about having to leave the hospital without our son. Ann’s skill set as a nurse was unquestionable, but her compassion is unlike anything I have seen.
In order to communicate the impact of Ann’s actions, I want to share a little bit about our delivery. My husband and I struggled for years to get pregnant. We underwent several rounds of infertility over several years and after our third IVF cycle, received the amazing news that we were pregnant. I had a relatively unexciting pregnancy but given the road we had traveled to become pregnant, was constantly anxious about the health of my unborn child. After being unable to be induced at the hospital at which I planned to deliver, my husband and I arrived at Wellstar Cobb Hospital with total unfamiliarity with the hospital facility, nursing staff and physicians that would deliver our first child.
Our induction began around lunch time on a Saturday and serious health issues were identified with my initial work up and bloodwork. I had developed severe pre-eclampsia and HELLP syndrome. The next two days were very difficult for me and my husband. They were confusing, emotional, worrisome and exhausting. I was put on Magnesium Sulfate to avoid having seizures which significantly complicated my labor. At 7:39pm on Sunday evening after pushing for 3.5 hours, I delivered our son – Jack Andrew Thomas. My husband and I were elated to see our little boy; however, things were far from perfect. Our baby was limp and lifeless and was not crying. The NICU nurses were waiting for him in my room. The team intubated him and started chest compressions as the Magnesium Sulfate in his blood had had a major impact on his vital systems. While all this was going on, my husband and I were speechless and crying. Once stable, Jack was taken to the NICU immediately with my husband.
With the assistance and willingness of the night nursing staff, I was able to go see Jack after midnight in the NICU. I was very nervous as I couldn’t stop shaking, but was so happy to get to hold my baby. The next day I was put on bed rest so was unable to visit him.
My husband spent a lot of Monday in the NICU and when he came back to my room, he conveyed to me what an angel we had as a NICU nurse for Jack. I continued to hear how wonderful Ann was and how she couldn’t wait to meet me. She was able to calm my husband’s fears on Jack’s health and answered all of his questions. My husband said he knew I would love Ann as she was exceptionally knowledgeable, unbelievably caring and completely committed to the health of our son.
I had the pleasure of meeting Ann on Tuesday, the second day Jack was in the NICU. My husband did not disappoint me. Ann was truly an angel. I cannot even begin to describe with words the level of comfort she elicits with the parents of infants in her care. She helped me breast feed, she encouraged me take Jack’s temperature and change his diaper, she showed us how to feed him while he had a feeding tube, the list goes on. But most importantly Ann knew how to relate to me as a new mom. She was honest and compassionate. Ann clicked with our family in a way that I cannot describe. I remember distinctly one afternoon Ann reminding me that I needed to make sure I also took care of me. I was still recovering from my medical conditions and she could see the exhaustion in my face. She reassured me that Jack was in great hands in the NICU – and that in order to be the mom he needed – I needed to rest too.
Fortunately, Jack was only in the NICU for 11 days. While he did have some follow-up appointments, he is now a healthy 3 year old. We stayed in touch with Ann and went to visit her, and ironically enough ended up having her as a nurse for our second son, Charlie. Charlie was born 6 weeks early and was also immediately sent to the NICU. Thankfully I had a very easy delivery and he was a health 5 pound 7 ounce baby! Ann had come to visit me while I was on hospital bed rest in the weeks leading up to my delivery and she was already calming our fears regarding a potential second NICU stay. Her presence was integral in making me feel so much more comfortable in the NICU with Charlie and I know that her amazing care is what helped Charlie progress. While his stay was a little longer – he is now a healthy and happy 20 month old.
It is hard to convey the impact that Ann and the other NICU nurses had on our experience. The birth of our first child did not go at all like we had planned – it was much more complicated than we ever anticipated and required a lot more medical intervention than we would have ever dreamt. Ann’s skills, compassion, understanding and love made leaving the hospital every day for 11 days without our baby, somewhat bearable. I did not worry about my son in her care – I knew she was caring for him as if he was her own. The same sentiments rang true when we arrived in the NICU for a second time with Charlie. We continue to keep in touch with Ann as she is now an extension of our family. Ann is truly an angel to us and we are so very grateful for her amazing care.

September 2020 -Laura Wohl, Cleveland Clinic Hillcrest hospital

Nominated by: Alexa Bondra

Laura was primary nurse to our daughter Grace, who spent exactly 1 month in the Hillcrest NICU from birth on January 1, 2019 to February 1, 2019.

I am sure a lot of the things I am going to say about Laura are not going to be of much surprise to anyone. I have a feeling that the way Laura made our daughter and our family feel is the way that every family that she works and cares for felt in her presence.

When Laura told us (about after 4 days of being in the NICU) that she was now going to be our primary nurse, I had never felt so at peace in my life. From the moment we met Laura, she made us feel like everything was going to be ok. She showed a love for our daughter that I can't even explain. She instantly clicked with our family and I knew she was someone that I would never want Grace to go a day without knowing. Laura was always advocating for the best for Grace. She instilled confidence in my husband and I when we asked silly questions like first time parents or when she reassured us that Grace was going to be well taken care of even if we had to leave for 15 minutes to grab lunch in the cafeteria upstairs. The fears, the worries, the good days, the bad days, she was there and she made it all ok with a smile or a hug. Laura knew how to lift our spirits with good conversation when we needed it the most. From talking about the best hair bows to buy for Grace (a grandma of two granddaughters really knows these things), to reminding us of how much progress Grace has shown from the moment she was born, she always knew how to make us feel just a little better each day.

One day through random conversation, Laura had shared with us that she was actually fairly new to the nursing profession. Laura has been a NICU nurse for about 10 years now. She had a presence and grace about her that gave you the impression that she has been doing this her entire life. It is just in her nature to take care of babies, families and everyone around her.

Laura is a bright, caring, breath of fresh air beautiful human being. She is a Mother, a Gigi, a NICU Nurse and a Friend. Laura left a mark on our lives and our daughters that I will never be able to forget. Taking such precious care of Grace in her weakest and strongest moments. In just 30 days she showed us so much compassion and love that we could never repay her for.

The truth is, I have had plans to write this award for Laura since the day I brought Grace home from the NICU. She could not be more deserving of it.

A few weeks ago, I finally decided to take my kids out of the house to go to a local park to picnic. Much to my surprise, I ran into Laura with her daughters and grandchildren. My heart was so happy. Just being able to have Grace see Laura and see that she was doing well gave me yet again another sense of peace in these trying times, just like it did when she took care of us in the NICU.

God sends people into your life for different reasons. Laura was sent into ours to show us Graces strength and to remind us that if we stay strong as a family, we can get through anything.

Thank you Laura for taking care of our sweet Amazing Grace. We love you!  

August 2020 -Lindsay lucas, Cleveland Clinic Main Campus

Nominated by: Janet Sornberger

Lindsey Lucas saved our little boy!

When he was born at 24w3d, we didn’t know what to expect. Besides being ill myself due to severe preeclampsia, our sole focus was on Henry. Lindsey took care of Henry like he was her own baby. She was there when I was finally discharged and got to meet my son for the first time, and she was there for discharge home 175 days later. Lindsey comforted us when we needed it, praised us for the things we were doing to help our son, loved Henry like her own, and advocated for him when he needed it.

Her determination and love for our son was evident throughout the whole stay, and beyond. When Henry had a serious event that needed care, she jumped to his rescue. If she was nervous or scared, she never showed it. She was first to help him and reassured us when it was over that he was still here and the NICU does everything they can to save their patients. When he made good progress, she shared her joy with us. She is so proud of how far he has come since his early birth. When we left our son to get rest, we knew, if Lindsey was there, we could relax and know he was in the care of the best nurse for our son. When we had to return to work because FMLA was exhausted, Lindsey reassured us that Henry would be loved by her, and the other nurses and doctors. Meanwhile, while caring for our son, Lindsey was in a tumultuous time in her own life. She never faltered in her care while we were in the NICU. Her determination and love for her job showed in the care for our son. I so wish I could detail all the ways she helped our family, but this would be too long - how do you sum up 175 days with someone who has become part of our family and who we owe everything to? She saved our family and we are lucky to consider her Aunt Lindsey to our precious son. Lindsey and her huge heart have helped us in so many ways that we cannot detail, and she truly is the best NICU nurse we could have ever asked for. No parent wants or expects their child in the NICU, but with Lindsey, our journey was the best it could be. I hope she knows she found her calling in caring for the smallest babies, and that she should be recognized for her heroic efforts at her job in the Cleveland Clinic NICU at Main Campus.  

2019 Project NICU Heart Award Winners

September 2019-Liz Geffert, Fairview hospital

Nominated by: Katie Charmley

There were so many amazing nurses and doctors helped care for our 27 weeker son when he was born 2.5 years ago at Fairview Hospital. However, one nurse will always be near and dear to my heart.

I will never forget being rolled into the NICU in a wheelchair up to my son's isolette for the first time - both my husband and I were both scared to death. We had only seen our son's face momentarily before he had been whisked away to the NICU after his breech and precipitous birth. I recall my husband and I being overcome with emotion as we first really got to see our son. I equally recall the warm, comforting, friendly nurse that greeted us and essentially introduced us to our son.

While we "met" our son, we also met Liz. Liz grounded us - she made us feel comfortable in the least comfortable position and place imaginable. She explained all the tubes, wires, bells, and alarms to us. She warned us about the 'NICU roller coaster' and the 'honeymoon' stage - both were incredibly true for us. Our son Anthony had good days and bad - and some really scary days too. We were learning to be parents and care for our son although we weren't doing that ever how we'd expected to.

As we were getting to know our son, we also got to know Liz. She always made us laugh! She always had a funny story to tell us - and her being so personalable made her like family to us. She shared stories about her family and her life that made us not think about all the stressful scary things we were going through. Liz was a breath of fresh air. Not only did she take excellent care of Anthony, she also took care of us. She taught me so many things... and was there to support my husband and I during our first kangaroo, diaper changes, cares, bottle feedings, baths. She would talk to us about her wonderful family and how she would share stories with them about 'silly' (or crazy) things Anthony did (he gave all the nurses a run for their money!) Liz also made cute little crafts from Anthony, and those items I will always cherish.

When Anthony was being moved to the developmental room we feared we would lose Liz as our primary. I recall being in that room the first day and although Liz was working, she wasn’t assigned to Anthony. Liz was able to step away to come visit us in the other room. I remember crying to her because I was so upset as it seemed like she wasn't going to be our nurse anymore. Liz was also upset we were moved! We addressed it with the charge nurse and some of the upper members of the staff. Fortunately, they moved Liz to the developmental room to continue to care for Anthony.

Liz was the comfort and consistency we needed! Although we were happy to leave the NICU after 75 long days, we were sad to leave Liz.To this day we think of her often and all the wonderful conversations and experiences we shared with her. She absolutely made an lasting impression on my family and we will forever be thankful for her. The care she provided us is unmatched. She is an amazing person and most definitely is an outstanding nurse that most definitely deserves to be recognized.

October 2019-Karen Fairbanks, Hillcrest Hospital

NOMINATED BY: KATIE MILLER

I would like to nominate Karen Fairbanks, NICU Nurse at Cleveland Clinic’s Hillcrest Hospital who primaried our son throughout his 117-day stay in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at Hillcrest Hospital this last year. An entire team of caregivers went above and beyond for our son and our families over the course of our stay but Karen holds a special place in our hearts.

To give you a little bit of background, in May of 2018, my husband, Patrick and I found out we were expecting a child. As most new parents-to-be, we were excited and nervous in anticipation of expanding our family. My pregnancy had been progressing normally and remained uneventful aside from regular checkups with my OB. At 8:24 AM on October 26th our lives were forever changed as Theo James Miller was born 15 weeks early via emergency c-section. To say we were both in shock when the laborist explained that we would be having a baby that day is a complete understatement. Theo’s due date wasn’t until February 4, 2019, he was only 25 weeks and 4 days.

We spent the next 4 months on the second floor of Seidman Tower in Room 21 where we remained for Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year’s Eve, New Year’s Day, Valentine’s Day, birthdays, anniversaries and plenty of time in between. Over the course of that time, we watched our son overcome, premature lung disease, a grade 1 brain bleed, a PDA and sepsis. He was intubated, extubated, resuscitated, received several blood transfusions, steroids, phototherapy treatment, PICC lines, an OG and a NG. We had countless pediatric consults with endocrinology, general surgery, infectious disease, ophthalmology, pulmonology and others.

On Friday, November 23rd, Theo was almost transported to main campus for emergency surgery due to sepsis. It was the worst day of our lives yet Karen remained steadfast in making sure Theo was well taken care of as he remained lifeless in his isolette after a failed extubation. Seconds felt like hours as we awaited results from his bloodwork. I will never forget that day and I will never forget her compassion. She helped humanize having a child in critical condition and prayed with us. She gave us strength and hope on our darkest day.

Karen came in on her day off the day Theo was discharged to celebrate the joyous occasion and to make sure we understood all of his discharge instructions. She did the honor of removing his leads and turning off the equipment that he had been attached to throughout his length of stay. Truth be told, I think it was bittersweet for everyone. Theo has been home for 7 months and over the course of that time we have been in touch several times – morning, noon or night, she always makes herself available to answer any of our questions/concerns.

Unless you have experienced a long term NICU stay yourself, there is no way to truly understand how heart wrenching and devastating the experience can be at times. While this journey is certainly not something we planned for, my husband and I feel extremely grateful for the care and kindness we received from Karen throughout our stay. We had the opportunity to watch Theo go from being a 1 lb 10 oz micropreemie to a 17 lb bouncing baby boy thanks to the expert help from a team of medical professionals who are truly angels walking among us."

November 2019-Dr. Stephanie Ford- UH Rainbow Babies & Childrens Hospital

NOMINATED BY: Jenny Maheu

We knew we were at risk for a NICU stay with our son, Cody, but nothing can really prepare you for it. Over the 34 days we were there, Dr. Ford was our neonatologist the majority of the time. The nurses were wonderful and very personable, but I never expected a doctor to be so compassionate and devoted to not only to our son’s care, but to making sure my husband and I were okay too. Rainbows is a teaching hospital, which I didn’t mind at all, so the room always had a lot of people in it during rounds. Dr. Ford was so intuitive that she picked up on my emotions on days that I was troubled and needed more intimate time to talk with her. On more than one occasion, she asked her team to leave and let me speak more comfortably and candidly with her. She reassured me that I was doing a great job and gave me strength I needed to keep going. I’d never have thought at doctor or would do that. On a day that I was especially struggling, Dr. Ford even went so far as to tell me a personal story that connected us as mothers. When our son needed an unexpected surgery that completely blindsided us, Dr. Ford was right there to answer all our questions and quickly cleared up some confusion with the surgical team. My aunt, who is a NICU nurse at another hospital, frequently visited. After asking me if I had any questions after rounds, Dr. Ford would directly address her and ask if she had any questions as well. During difficult medical times, Dr. Ford even offered to speak to my aunt on the phone if I’d like. She never made us feel like she was rushing or had other patients to get to. She gave us her undivided attention as long as needed. At the end of our stay, the teams shifted and we no longer had Dr. Ford. I was so upset that I cried while thanking her for all she did for our son and our family. She was an unexpected light during our darkest time. I will forever be grateful to her. Even though our stay was not as long as some families, it was terribly difficult on us and Dr. Ford made it a little bit easier. I’m crying as I write this because the memories are still so fresh, but I know that my fondness for Dr. Ford will never fade.

December 2019-Cathy Fee- MetroHealth Hospital

NOMINATED BY: Emma Bango

I don't know where to begin when writing about why Cathy should receive the NICU Heart Award. She has shown a level of compassion towards our daughter that I have not witnessed in a long time. I spent years working side by side with nurses and Cathy has restored my faith in the profession as a whole. There is something special that happens the moment you walk into the MetroHealth NICU, everyone is invested in the well being of the babies they care for on a daily basis. Cathy advocates for the needs of our little girl on a daily basis. She always has a list of questions ready for the doctors when they come to the bedside for rounds, she has a way of knowing the questions we want answered before we step foot on the unit. Whenever my husband and I feel like we aren't getting the answers to the questions we ask or the answers are taking too long, Cathy gets us the answers and helps explain the next steps to our daughter's care in a way that is both understandable and comforting. About a month ago, our daughter got very sick. Lucky for us, Cathy was there to take care of her during her sickest days. I later found out through conversation that during that time Cathy would sit by her bedside holding our daughter's hand providing comfort in her sickest days. Cathy goes above and beyond the call of duty. I've learned, through this experience, it takes a special person to be a nurse but it takes an extraordinary person to be a NICU Nurse. On the day we finally take our little girl home, we will know that Cathy played a key role in bringing her home.

january- Becky Stuart- Hillcrest Hospital

Nominated by: Mattie Bray

They say tough times are only a season. For my husband and I, the hardest time of our life happened to be during the winter. And now that it’s been a full year and this season is here again I reflect back on our time in the NICU and the wonderful people at Hillcrest, one in particular who helped us through that season with hopes of the sign of spring.

Our twin boys Henry Arthur and Logan James were born in December 15th 2018 at 26 weeks. Logan was very sick right away. Rebecca (Becky) Stuart felt a connection to him and became his primary nurse. It takes a special person to take that on knowing the severity of his condition and the sadness and stress that could follow. In the beginning days and weeks when we were overwhelmed with medical jargon, the typical NICU rollercoaster of ups and downs, and the reality that this was our new normal for a while, seeing Becky’s familiar face was comforting to us. We had many “care conferences” with different doctors and specialists regarding Logan’s circumstances and direction of care. Becky served as an advocate for us and almost a translator to explain that confusing medical jargon to us as well as relaying our feelings that she had listened to countless times to the doctors. Logan lived for 24 days and I’ll never forget Becky being there in the moments after he passed. My husband left the room and Becky and I gave him a bath and cleaned him up. She helped me put him into a beautiful gown. It was a moment that would be impossible not to bond two people forever. I felt like Becky was the only one who could understand the heartbreak I was feeling because she felt it too- she loved him just as much as we did. Luckily our relationship with Becky continued to grow as she then took our son Henry on as her primary patient. She was there to comfort us as we moved from the large twin room we had been calling home for the last month into a new smaller room- a room for just one baby. She was there for the entire funeral of our baby Logan and the grieving process that followed, while also being there for every milestone we experienced with Henry over his 86 day stay. She would get just as excited as we would for the day he could wear clothes or get out of the isolette into a “big boy crib”. She continued to be our advocate and translator as we went through the NICU process.

Winter faded and spring emerged. Henry sprouted just like the blooming buds out the NICU window and we were able to take him home in March. Becky sewed a cap and gown for his “graduation” perfectly tailored to fit his once 2 pound body. I will keep that cap and gown forever and plan to have him hold it on his high school graduation day. Henry has continued to grow stronger and healthier at home and is now over 20 lbs. We have found great comfort in the fact that “Auntie Becky” is just a phone call away if we have a question and as first time parents and parents of a preemie we’ve had a few of those moments since bringing him home. Becky holds such a special place in the lives of both of our boys and in our family. As I write this, the early dark nights, snowfall, and cold weather bring me back to that difficult season of our lives but it also leaves me extremely grateful for the people we met and relationships we gained and all those who got us through.