Former Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) patients and their families were reunited with the hospital staff that cared for them at Dignity Health Marian Regional Medical Center's NICU Reunion event on Saturday.
Nurses, doctors, and facility staff got to interact with kids who they treated as babies; families also had the opportunity to thank medical staff years after their time at the NICU.
Additionally, attendees enjoyed a photo booth, face painting, and food at the event.
Jazmin Narez, the mother of a baby who spent 79 days in the hospital's NICU in 2023, told KSBY how grateful she still is to the hospital staff.
"They saved my little guy, and so it means the world. I could never pay them back for what they've done," Narez said. "They saw me [at] my highest high, my lowest low. They were there for me, supportive, and they worked through everything. Even to this day."
"Seeing our NICU graduates thrive as healthy, happy kids is the ultimate reward," Sue Andersen, President and CEO of Marian Regional Medical Center, said in a press release.
Hospital officials report that Marian Regional Medical Center's NICU is the most technologically advanced unit in the region.
