ERLANGER, Ky. — A special bond exists between parents, kids and the medical staff that cared for the babies on their first day of life.
On Sunday afternoon, St. Elizabeth Healthcare held its annual NICU reunion, bringing together families whose lives were changed through the work inside the medical center's halls.
“It really is the greatest joy of our job to watch these babies grow up,” Ahlfeld said.
Watch more from St. Elizabeth Healthcare's NICU reunion:
The event featured special games for the kids, mascots from the Cincinnati Reds and even a special visit from two Disney princesses.
The NICU reunion also allowed families, such as Erin Flach-Elliott and her husband, Bobby Elliott, to express their gratitude to Ahlfeld and nurse Maddie Thiel, who helped keep their baby girl, Rylie, alive.
"I made a promise that if she was a good outcome, we were going to let them see that,” Flach-Elliott said.
The mother told me her daughter was born at just over 28 weeks. Flach-Elliott became very sick and had to have an emergency C-section.
Rylie had to spend months at both St. Elizabeth's and Cincinnati Children's Hospital. But now, almost four years later, both mother and baby are smiling together.
Rylie has cerebral palsy, chronic lung disease and vision issues. Her parents told me that every milestone is a celebration, and they cherish every moment watching their only child grow.
Rylie’s mother described watching the toddler take her first steps. “It was terrifying and exciting. Cause like, I was like, Oh God she’s gonna fall on her face, and then when she didn’t it was super exciting,” Flach-Elliott said.
For the nurses and staff who make up the team, it’s a reminder of just how important their jobs are.
"It makes it totally rewarding once you get to see that they’ve actually gone on and moved on and have regular lives," Thiel said.
The annual event reinforces that unbreakable bond year after year.
"We were in the NICU for a very, very long time, and we're very thankful for the care and attention that we received. And we're very thankful because we wouldn't have girls otherwise,” Lienhoop said, whose twin girls were born premature and cared for at St. Elizabeth Healthcare's NICU.
You can read more about St. Elizabeth Healthcare's NICU services here.
