June 18, 2010
Hamot Hosts 2010 NICU Graduate Reunion
Erie, PA - Thirty-seven years ago, Hamot Medical Center opened the doors to its Neonatal Intensive Care Unit and every three years since then, the nurses and doctors have invited parents and their children to come back and celebrate at the NICU Graduate Reunions. Sunday, July 18th, 2010, Hamot will be hosting the twelveth NICU Graduate Reunion at Rainbow Gardens and Waldameer Park starting at 1:00pm.
Invitations were sent to all “graduates” who were born in the past 3 years, but any NICU graduate and family from the past 37 years are invited to attend. The families are provided with lunch, and numerous fun activities as well as prizes drawn every hour. More than 450 family members and NICU staff, past and present, are expected to attend this event.
Nell Nipper, RNC has been a NICU nurse at Hamot for more than 32 years and she talks about the connection between the families and the NICU staff, “With family-centered care at Hamot, we work closely with the parents and develop a rapport with them. The bond that is created between the NICU staff and the parents becomes so evident at the reunion when parents come up to us – showing us their children and sharing hugs of joy. We may not recognize the running and jumping children, who were once the tiniest babies in the unit, but we definitely recognize the parents and they recognize us.”
Hamot’s Neonatal Intensive Care Unit is a level 3 NICU, the highest level of care in the region and received that designation 30 years ago from the Pennsylvania Perinatal Association. Nurse Manager of Maternity and NICU, Emily Hirsch, RNC, who has been with the Hamot NICU for 28 years says, “We are very proud of the compassionate and skilled care we provide and the reunion is our chance to see how the babies have grown into healthy children. This validates that what we do every day is important. The nursing staff’s satisfaction comes from seeing the pride the parents have in sharing their children’s growth and development. Many of the nurses and families form lasting friendships which are evident on this day. The reunion is a time for celebrating the gift of life. ”
Registration starts at noon with lunch from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Discount Ride & Slide tickets available ($16.50 per person valid July 18 only—rain or shine). Tickets include: Unlimited Rides from 1 p.m. To 10 p.m. and Water World from 1 p.m.to 7 p.m.
Please call (814) 877-6740 no later than July 6 to RSVP.
