Nominees 2021

Whitney Benson – Northwestern Women’s Prentice Hospital

Maddie Gardner – Northwestern Women’s Prentice Hospital

Maria Jimenez – Northwestern Women’s Prentice Hospital

Angie Koziczkowski – Northwestern Women’s Prentice Hospital

Amanda Masek – Northwestern Women’s Prentice Hospital

Nancy Napp – Northwestern Women’s Prentice Hospital

Beth Ratkowski – Northwestern Women’s Prentice Hospital

Cyndi Robison – Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital

Taylor Schrage – Northwestern Women’s Prentice Hospital

Kelli Snider – Northwestern Women’s Prentice Hospital

“Nothing can prepare you to be a NICU parent, even being a former NICU nurse. My story began on the morning of November 30th when I was 34 weeks pregnant, and my water shockingly broke. I told myself, “I got this.” My confidence was palpable as we rushed out the door. I spent 6 years caring for 34-weekers and know the NICU like the back of my hand. Well, was I wrong! Our Journey From the moment we checked in to Prentice to the moment we left, Whitney Benson was there. Of course, we didn’t have a typical NICU course (#nursecurse). Our son Nathan was admitted for 2 weeks and came home for less than 24 hours before being readmitted for another 2 weeks. Quite frankly, some of the darkest days of our life. Whitney not only took care of Nathan, but she took care of me, my husband, and our 3-year-old daughter Ashton. She made sure to send us home with a “big sister goodie bag” since Ashton couldn’t visit (thanks, COVID!). COVID Speaking of COVID. We were there for the vaccination roll-out to the nurses. Whitney immediately signed up even when she was actively breastfeeding her own ex-NICU daughter Sophie. Whitney knew the vaccine meant another layer of protection for Nathan, Sophie, and all other babies. Christmas After 25 consecutive days, we made the difficult decision to stay home and attempt a “normal” Christmas for Ashton. We knew Whitney was the one who would spend Nathan’s first Christmas with him. I understand how holidays work; the more seniority you have, the increased likelihood you have Christmas off. Whitney is senior enough to have Christmas off, but she knew we needed that day at home with Ashton and Santa. Whitney chose to work Christmas Day. She sacrificed Christmas with her own family to give us the comfort of knowing Nathan would be with his “primary.” Memories While writing Whitney’s nomination, I hoped to find photo’s of Whitney taking care of Nathan at his most critical points. Like when he was first admitted for breathing support and the second admittance when we were told he had a rare infection AND meningitis. We feared the latter would take his life. I, unfortunately, don’t have those pictures, but the two pictures I have shared of Nathan and Whitney are priceless. The pictures show Whitney putting her heart and soul into every moment, like a simple bottle feed or the mandatory car seat check. Whitney gives it her all 110% of the time, is an excellent clinical nurse, and is an exceptional all-around caregiver, even comforting family members. Nomination Additionally, Whitney had her own NICU experience. Her baby was readmitted for a rare complication requiring emergency surgery. Most would be traumatized. For Whitney, it seemingly upped her dedication and compassion. I believe Whitney is first-class and deserves recognition for how she helped my family and me. She does EVERYTHING for others and expects nothing in return.”

”

“We were in the NICU for over a month before we met Mel, over two months total. While everyone there was helpful and gracious, she was those things and more. She took the extra time to help my son Alder learn to breastfeed with me. For some this may have been something small, but after all the things I had been through with having a 31 week old baby, an emergency birth and tons of fertility issues this was one of the few things I had wanted that could still work out and was very important to me and she made it important to her as well. She worked with lactation consultants and me, tried multiple tricks to get it to work countless times over many shifts with more patience than I thought possible. It was because of her we were successful at something that I had dreamt about since I knew I wanted to be a mom. She would even brainstorm on how to help me even after we parted ways for the day and come back with new ideas the next morning. She was there to share in the first teary eyed moment he breastfed and I could tell that she was genuinely happy for me and Alder, which made it more special. Having people like Mel on your side when you are stressed and scared make a difficult situation less terrifying and more manageable. Her genuine nature and personality made it even fun sometimes. I knew that she cared for my son as she would her own children and that made it easier for me to be away when I needed to be. Mel deserves this award because of her selfless actions, her kind and good hearted spirit, and determination in helping a total stranger (and somewhat emotional wreck) achieve something that will inevitably be something I will never forget and a defining joyous moment of the time we spent in the NICU. There are a lot of hard, dark days spent in the NICU, but our times with Mel were bright and definitely needed. We can’t thank her enough.”

“My water spontaneously broke when I was 36w and 2d. Being a labor and delivery nurse, my first reaction was to break down crying. I didn’t want to need to go to the Nicu. My overall healthy pregnancy was followed by an uneventful delivery of our baby, Owen James. As we went to feed him, we knew he needed more attention. We learned that he was born with esophageal atresia/ tracheal esophageal fistula. Luries was the right place for him and he quickly told us that. Being in the medical field, I was terrified, but I also had a respect and understanding for what needed to happen to our baby and why. I think that made it even harder. Ignorance can be bliss in some situations. I will never forget my anger and frustration with continuity of care. I felt like I was giving report on my baby everyday, multiple times a day. New nurses, residents, second year medical students, it was exhausting explaining what ea/TEF was as it’s pretty rare. My husband I weren’t just Owen’s parents. We were his advocates, I was his nurse as well as his mom. I struggled to ever ever take that hat off. Learning to trust someone new with your baby 2-3 times a day is exhausting in itself. I thank God for Paris everyday. She was my friend, my second set of ears, someone I could vent to, collaborate with. She let me be his nurse, and his mom. She is the only reason I felt comfortable leaving Owen’s bedside to grab lunch, or take a walk. I truly trusted her because I knew how smart she was, as well as caring and gentle. She was advocating for him when we couldn’t. Lurie’s is such a wonderful placed, and we felt blessed to be there, but she completely helped us navigate the Nicu. She supported us, and cheered us on during the worst moments. We are finally home as a family in the suburbs, but every time we have an appointment, I reach out to her and see if we can grab a coffee or lunch. I always send pictures of how big he is getting. He is still overcoming challenges, but to feel supported throughout the hardest journey of our lives was that much easier with Paris as Owen’s angel. Our angel. She deserves the absolute best because I know she didn’t just give Owen and us that amazing care. She is genuine with all of her patients.”

“I would like to nominate Kim Carmignani for the OwlGive Award. Kim is the Unit Director for our 62 bed NICU at Rush University Medical Center. Kim is a dynamic and energized leader who works consistently to manage the day to day workflow of this busy NICU. She has an amazing work ethic and her open door policy allows staff to speak to her at any time regarding unit concerns. She guided us through some very difficult times with the pandemic–a time when parents could not visit together. Kim has the finesse to recognize and engage staff when stress levels are high. She promotes bedside nurses and advocates for the voice of nursing. Kim brings many years of experience in NICU and leadership to the table and can handle anything that comes her way. She personally reaches out to families and meets with them to discuss their needs and concerns. Kim serves as a liaison between the Medical Team and Nursing and promotes ICARE values in all she does. While the nursing world is changing and staff are dealing with difficult situations at work and at home, Kim is a caring and supportive manager that empowers the NICU Nursing team to give their all in everything they do. Kim is a role model and respected leadership who is worthy of this recognition. Rush is lucky to have her!”

“Kristen is a brilliant pharmacist who brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to the bedside. She practices evidence-based medicine and always strives to find the best (safest, cost-effective) solution for every patient. She is always ready to answer questions during rounds and at other times, and if she does not know the answer, she searches the literature to provide the most up-to-date information. She is an outstanding teacher to all those she comes across and she is always ready to provide her rationale. She is truly a patient advocate and she is an outstanding team member. She is a gem!!”

“I believe Cindy Davis, LSW in the NICU at Rush, deserves the OwlGive Award. Cindy is amazing. I often refer to her as, “The hardest working woman in showbiz”. From the moment she arrives on the unit until the end of the day Cindy can be found making things better for families in the NICU. The unit is busy and serves families from Chicago and beyond. Cindy serves the complex needs of our clients by providing a hot meal, a WIC form, or a listening ear. She empowers people to become more independent in their own care and enables them to care for their newborn. Cindy takes on many challenges in her role. She meets and greets each family and explains her role on the unit. Cindy identifies the family’s needs and works diligently to make their NICU stay bearable. Cindy has been able to deescalate many a volatile situation as passions sometimes run high in the NICU. Her warmth and compassion are a gift that she shares with us all everyday. Cindy is an asset to the team….thank you Cindy for all you do.”

“Having a child in the NICU is one of the hardest things I have ever faced in my life. My daughter was born with a congenital diaphragmatic hernia and she was in the NICU for 108 days. To say that Lauren made a heartbreaking situation better would be an understatement. She gave us hope and a routine. Lauren was my daughter Lily’s first primary care nurse, working the night shift. I would be there all day long and a huge part of me wanted to stay there at night too but as soon as Lauren became her primary I knew I could come home. I had no doubt in my mind that my daughter was in the best hands possible. Laure helped us develop a routine, she helped me give my daughter baths and she brought normalcy to our situation.

During that time we developed a very strong friendship that remains to this day. We still get Christmas cards from her and we send them to her. The love that she has for her patients just radiates from her being. She is absolutely an angel and she is exactly where she is meant to be. As a mother, maybe especially as a first time mother, having someone like Lauren caring for my daughter when I couldn’t made all the difference in the world. She empowered me as a mother, she helped me decorate her crib and would tell me all about their middle of the night snuggle parties when I would call at 4 o’clock in the morning just to check in. Lauren is so deserving of this award and so much more.”

“Selma was the absolute best NICU nurse at Northwestern. While all of them are great, what made Selma so special was how much time effort and attention she gave to us as first-time parents. Further, you could just see the care and love she gave to our Simon while he stayed there for two weeks.”

Nominated by Matt Matros

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

“Nurse Selma oversaw the care of my twin girls (Charlotte & Chloe) in the NICU, and she was absolutely the BEST. During our 11+ week stay in the NICU, Selma made sure to always check in on our girls, how we (the parents) were doing, and to support us during our many emotional breakdowns in our NICU journey. She was a very important part of our overall care team, and I was so thankful she was with us every step on the way. I felt like she was a true cheerleader for our girls, and she went out of her way to provide her support no matter what we needed. From receiving news about one of our daughter’s brain bleeds, to my concerns about breast feeding, she was always by our side to talk through our concerns and put us at ease. Her passion for babies shines through every conversation, and we established such a special connection with her, and I know our girls did too. She is truly one of a kind and we cannot wait to tell our girls about her one day. Thank you to Selma and the entire NICU team for all that you do. Note: I do not have a picture of Selma, so I included a photo of my baby instead.”

Nominated by Kristy Lessens

“We would like to nominate Lauren Fennell who worked with us in the NICU on February 21st and who took such personalized care of our baby Juniper Lior Wickenden during her path to wellness. Juniper was having some trouble transitioning from being an aquatic animal to a land animal and she needed breathing support for Tachypnea. As first time parents, the experience having a baby in the NICU is a tender one and something we felt wholly unprepared for. The entire staff who worked with us was incredible and embodied the loving message you see quilted on the wall when you walk into the NICU – “Hold this precious child flower of our hearts!”. They did just that.

Lauren went above and beyond to help Juniper in every way. After a few days in the NICU when Juniper pulled out her cPap, Lauren saw that Juniper was a fighter and that she was showing us she was ready to ween off the support. Lauren said to us – trust the baby. Within a few hours, with Lauren advocating for Juniper to her doctors – Juniper was off the cPap, feeding tube, and IV. Lauren helped us build confidence in holding the baby as well as with breastfeeding and patiently assisted us with establishing a first latch. We told Lauren how amazing she was at her job and she told us how much she loved what she did. We could tell it was a calling for her. Ultimately, we were able to go home a few days earlier than expected and feel so deeply grateful to Lauren for her expressions of loving kindness for our little one. Juniper is one lucky kid for having crossed paths with Lauren.”

“Over the five months that our daughter Zoey was in the NICU, Maddie was one of the most stable parts of a time that was filled with some really high highs and some really low lows. Born at 24 weeks and 3 days and without the benefit of steroids before birth to help her lungs, our daughter faced really long odds and at one point we were told that she was “as sick as baby could be in the NICU” and may have only have hours to live. Maddie was there from the beginning during some very scary moments, and even during those times always kept a positive demeanor that my wife and I could count on. As time went on our daughter’s condition improved, thanks in no small part to the care she received from all her nurses, but especially Maddie. Once Zoey stabilized, due to work schedules, my wife and I spent most of our time visiting the NICU between the hours of 5-11pm, and as a night shift nurse we got to spend a lot of time with Maddie during our daughter’s stay. From day one, Zoey had special quirks that went against the grain and required a tailored approach to her care, so we always looked forward to the nights Maddie would be working because we knew we could sleep easy that night. She also made sure, when we had questions about tests or diagnoses that occurred that day, to explain them in a way that we could understand and be comfortable with. As the days and weeks dragged on and it seemed like the NICU stay was going to last forever, Maddie’s personality really helped us keep a positive attitude when all we wanted to do was get our daughter home. When we missed our desired date of having Zoey home by Christmas, Maddie made sure to bring the Christmas cheer to the NICU with her by reading us “Twas the Night Before Christmas”, a tradition we plan to continue for our daughter. Due to some logistical issues, Zoey ended up going home during night shift so it was only fitting that Maddie was the nurse to discharge her! While I wish I could nominate all 10 of Zoey’s primary nurses, as they all have a special place in our heart, Maddie really excelled at making a difficult 5 months as bearable as possible.”

“Coming to Lurie’s is a whirlwind of emotions, but having Alexis as our nurse made this process so incredible. She educated us every step of the way and showed a true passion in caring for our son, Hudson. Alexis displayed every single characteristic you’d look for in a nurse and we feel she more than deserves this award! She was absolutely a breath of fresh air in such a scary, yet amazing place! #OwlGive”

“Our little man Gavin was born at 30 weeks 5 days at 2lbs 14oz and spent 73 days in the NICU battling severe Alloimmunization/Hemolytic disease and severe IUGR. Kate was Gavin’s primary night nurse and I met her the first night Gavin finally had a submersion bath. She waited for me so that I could help and it’s one of my favorite memories of the NICU as I got to really see his face for the first time. We waited weeks to give him a submersion bath due to his UA and needing to be on phototherapy for several weeks. I instantly connected with Kate and I could tell that she would make an amazing impact on Gavin’s journey.

Kate advocated for Gavin every step of the way with his entire team and always wanted collaboration to ensure his progress. I would come in and there would be loving books, sensory toys, and just so much she added to make our long stay more personable and to ensure Gavin was progressing. She talked about how they would watch the sun come up together and it warmed my heart to know that he was experiencing so much in the NICU when my husband and I couldn’t be there. Gavin really struggled with feeding endurance/progress and Kate always persisted to find new ways to ensure he was making gains and in a space that would set him up for success. It was clear at the end of our NICU journey that Kate and Gavin had established an amazing bond and he loved her fun energy and caring spirit. We feel so blessed that Kate and Gavin’s primary team found a way to somehow make our NICU journey so special in such a trying time. We always felt that Gavin was not only under excellent care with Kate but also loved. We can’t thank Kate and the entire Prentice NICU team enough for all of Gavin’s continued progress.”

“We met Colleen in December 2012 when our son Hunter was born at 25 weeks. Colleen immediately took care of not only Hunter, but my husband and me. Colleen was Hunter’s caretaker and advocate from day one. For months we lived not day by day, but minute by minute. Colleen was there for each one of those minutes, the good and the bad. On days she had off, she would call just to check on Hunter. She stood by us and encouraged us as we were afraid to even touch our new baby. She taught us how to care for him and how to be the best advocates for him. She laughed with us at the funny, light moments and comforted us in the dark moments.

It took Hunter 6 months to leave the NICU and on discharge day, we laughed and cried with Colleen once again. Our story with Colleen doesn’t end there though! In August 2020, we found ourselves facing another preterm delivery with our second child, Mackenzie. I immediately reached out to Colleen. She was there for us in a heartbeat. The comfort of knowing Colleen was right there as Mackenzie came into the world and admitted to the NICU was indescribable. We knew our girl was in the perfect hands. There will never be enough words to express our gratitude to Colleen. We hope that everyone who has a baby in need of medical intervention finds a “Colleen” to love and care for their entire family as Colleen Golden has.”

“Our daughter Chloe was born prematurely at 24 weeks and 1 day, and spent 155 days in the NICU. Caitlin was there from the very beginning, in the delivery room, to the very end, helping walk Chloe to the car. When I picture the ideal nurse, I picture Caitlin. She is calm under pressure, empathetic, extremely thorough and knowledgeable, and fun-loving! She is an absolute joy to be around. She made each day a little bit brighter, never mind the raging pandemic, and we always felt a little sigh of relief when our daughter was in her hands. She was there for Chloe on all of the good days, and bad days. Caitlin grew to feel like a part of our family (after all…we did spend last Thanksgiving together), and has become an incredible friend. After Chloe was discharged from the NICU she even remembered the date of her upcoming eye surgery, and made sure to check in with us the night before. Caitlin is one of the hardest working people I know, and is currently studying to become a primary care pediatric nurse practitioner. She is an incredible asset to Northwestern. I hope you’ll consider her for the #OwlGive Award. We are forever grateful that she was one of our primary nurses. Caitlin changed our lives, and I have no doubt that she helped save Chloe’s.”

“Gavin was born at 30 weeks and 5 days and had a very rough start. He was battling severe Alloimmunization and IUGR from early on in the pregnancy. Libby was one of our primary nurses throughout our 73-day stay and was a pillar of strength, compassion and expertise for our family. Libby’s attention to detail and ensuring Gavin’s progress gave our family so much hope in such a hard time. She saw the concern in my eyes on some days and always found a way to comfort me. We couldn’t have done this NICU journey without her.”

“It is with a heart full of gratitude that we recommend Nurse Maria Jimenez for the Jackson Chance Owl Give Award. We got to know Nurse Maria while our baby Oliver was in the Northwestern Memorial NICU for seven stressful weeks from early February through late March 2021, and we wanted to tell the story of how Nurse Maria helped us get through it. From the first morning after birth, she greeted us with open arms and a bright shining smile we could see through her mask. She was kind and so encouraging even when my wife Shelley’s milk supply hadn’t come yet despite a night of trying. “This is great progress!” she exclaimed, as we all looked at the two sad drops of colostrum Shelley produced. It was this encouragement and spirit keeping us going, and Shelley’s milk supply has been awesome since. She went out of her way to help us in every imaginable way. Wearing several hats, Nurse Maria was our breast-feeding counselor, comforter, friend, fellow parent, and of course, NICU nurse extraordinaire. She comforted us at our very worst moments, telling us stories of her own children and the struggles she went through. While baby Oliver worked through bradycardia, jaundice, feeding, and other NICU struggles, Nurse Maria demonstrated exceptional bedside manner, helping us to believe we would not just be OK, but emerge stronger as a new family.

Maria helped us navigate the bureaucracy at NMH and sat with us before and after rounds, cutting through medical jargon and taking time to explain in laypersons terms what the doctors had just told us Oliver was experiencing. The four or five times we received a discharge date (postponed because of another bradycardia), Nurse Maria was there to root us on and help us with the discharge paperwork. A few weeks into our stay, we discovered a book at Oliver‘s bedside titled “Oliver’s Tree.” It turns out she had been reading to Oliver during his stay without us even knowing. The book she gifted him remains with us as Oliver‘s favorite book. On our daily walks many months later, Oliver still stares in amazement at every tree we walk past. His love for nature was undoubtedly kindled at the NICU because of Nurse Maria’s love and care. As first-time parents, we are so blessed to have Nurse Maria in our corner from the very first morning through the (several) discharge dates. Only fellow NICU parents understand the emotions we lived through – and the feeling of gratitude when hearing that a trusted friend – one like Nurse Maria – was on the next shift to watch over our baby. Reflecting on our time as NICU parents, we wouldn’t have been able to do it without Maria’s love, care, and professionalism. We hope other NICU parents will also have the good fortune to be blessed with nurses like Maria, who care for their children as much as Maria cared for ours.”

“Janelle deserves to receive the Owl Give Award because she is FANTASTIC at what she does and it is evident that being a NICU RN is what she was meant to do. Janelle not only took care of our son, but she also took care of my husband and I during the hardest weeks of our lives. Janelle was consistently reassuring my husband and I and made sure to always explain the current situation and what next steps would entail for our son. She also made sure that we did not miss out on milestones by creating weekly footprint cards, a one month hat and personalizing Brody’s first bottle. These little things meant a lot to us and brought us joy during this difficult time. Janelle also assisted us in holding our child with all his tubes and cords for the first time, taught us how to feed him from a bottle for the first time, assisted us in giving him his first bath, went out of her way to decorate his room for shark week and much more. We were confident in Janelle’s care from day one, which made it easier to step out for meals, etc. since we knew Brody would be well cared for. We are so thankful for Janelle and would not be where we are today without her. Janelle cared for us and our son as if we were family and always had our best interests in mind. She is someone we will continue to keep in touch with and cannot wait to have Brody meet again in the future.”

“I would like to nominate Crystal Kirchoff for the Owl Award. Our son, Ryder, was a preemie born and needed to be in the NICU until his bradycardia events subsided. Crystal helped ease the stress of having a child in the NICU and did things to accommodate our visits with Ryder to really allow us to be present in the moment and enjoy our newborn son (wires and all)! Crystal was on the evening shift for many of the nights during Ryder’s stay in the NICU. As concerned new parents, the NICU can be a cold and sterile environment to spend the first few days of a baby’s life. Crystal’s humble and cheerful demeanor helped ease some of this stress and make the hospital feel more like home. Crystal was always incredibly patient with our laundry list of questions (no matter what time of night we called) and helped us celebrate his small but mighty milestones as he worked on his way to a healthy discharge. She had an incredible way of making us feel like we were doing everything “right” and we appreciated her helpful advice along the way as it really felt like a crash course in baby boot camp for new parents. Each morning when we arrived at the hospital for his 6AM feed, Ryder’s room was always decorated with some of Crystal’s artwork made just for Ryder. She remembered it was my husband’s birthday and she surprised us by decorating the room with signs and a little party hat for Ryder. These small yet meaningful gestures inspired hope in us as stressed and tired parents and made his NICU suite feel cheerful. They say it takes a village to bring a child into this world and Crystal was truly a defining part of this village as she was like an angel looking over our baby through the wee hours of the night. We feel as though she needs to be recognized and is very deserving of the OWL Award.”

“Denise is a very experienced Advanced Practice Provider who provides excellent evidence-based care to neonatal patients. She is smart, dedicated and very hard-working. She is fantastic with families and makes every effort to communicate with them, especially right after their baby is born and whisked off to the NICU. She is the first to chip in and help out. She has taught many, many nurse practitioner students in Chicago, both in didactics and at the bedside – impressing upon them to work hard and always do their best. Denise has a heart of gold!”

“Angie came into our lives when our twin girls were two days old after being born at 28 weeks and she stayed there for the 90 days our girls spent in the NICU. We are first time parents and to say we were terrified that our babies were in the NICU hooked up to countless tubes and monitors is a major understatement. Angie was our girls’ nurse on day two and became an integral part of our family that day as well. From the very first time we saw Angie with our girls, her expertise, calm demeanor and loving nature was palpable. As time went on, we would watch Angie stand next our babies’ bedside and soothe them with loving pats and words when they were too sick to leave their isolates. Angie would talk with us about every single thing the doctors said, teach us how to change diapers, hold our babies safely, sideline feed, and above all trust in the NICU process. Being a first-time parent of two very premature babies is an experience that does not lend itself to much peace of mind. Angie gifted that to us. When our babies were with Angie, we knew that they were loved and taken care of. Angie afforded me the luxury of having some coffee and breakfast before heading into the NICU to see the girls because I was confident in their care.

During COVID, when no family was allowed to come and see our babies or join us in this experience, Angie became our family. The number of hours she sat with us in our girls’ room and talked to us about the girls, about NICU life and about life in general allowed us to feel human again during an isolating time. When I went back to work while the girls were still in the NICU, Angie helped me to process through my anxiety, guilt and fear about not being with the babies all day. When I would check in during the day, Angie would not spare a single detail about the girls’ day and progress and greeted me with a huge smile and two happy babies to snuggle when I would arrive to the NICU after work. Angie listened to us and advocated for us during rounds when we could not be present. Ultimately, Angie made the NICU feel warm and safe. Angie made our babies feel loved and safe. I would not wish premature birth of babies on anyone, but I do wish that everyone that has this experience has an Angie to go along with it. Our girls will grow up knowing and feeling gratitude for their “Angel Angie” and so will we. I could not think of a better person to receive the Owl Give Award than Angie.”

“Our daughter Zoey was born on 7/25/2020 weighing at 1lb and 9 ounces at Northwestern Medicine Prentice Women’s Hospital. My husband and I were told that Zoey was one of the sickest babies ever in that NICU so of course we were terrified but was ready for the ride. We have an outstanding team of primaries (call them the “A” Team) but I would like to highlight one of them specifically and that’s Allison “Alli” Lukens. Where do I start?!?! Alli went over and beyond with observing Zoey’s condition and did not hesitate to provide her own medical opinions to the doctors on what she thought would help Zoey blood pressure to stable, release excess fluid from her body, and much more. When she attended rounds, she would provide a thorough report to my husband and I detail by detail. We spent 5 months in the NICU which meant we would spend Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas in the NICU. To help cheer us up about our stay during the holidays, Alli knitted Zoey the most beautiful ice cream cone costume for Halloween and it brought us so much joy to see our precious girl in the spotlight, which for us was exciting and happy due to our scary journey a couple of months prior. For Christmas, I was talking to my husband in a really low voice and said since we’re here let’s make the best of our stay. Let’s get a Charlie Brown tree and decorate Zoey room. The next day Alli brought in the Charlie Brown tree and plenty of decorations. Alli would buy Zoey clothes and dress her and do a mini photo shoot with her own personal camera, even includIng my husband and me. It was bittersweet leaving what we knew as our home for 5 months to go to our real home with the love of our lives. Alli continues to be in Zoey life and spend time with her. She’s always checking on her via phone and she has been over to our home for play dates with Zoey. Im nominating Alli because she goes over and beyond to not only give Zoey the love and nourishment she needs but she also supported my husband and I through it all and continues to do so.”

“Amanda Masek is our primary NICU nurse for our daughter, Emma. Right from the get go my husband and I felt incredibly comfortable with her. She is smart, comforting, good natured and cares soooo much for our daughter, Emma. She is the kind of person you know you will stay in touch with after our daughter goes home. In addition to being a phenomenal NICU nurse, she has been so compassionate and understanding to my situation. Let me explain. My water broke early. (Around 28 weeks.) I was living in Prentice hospital on bed rest for 3 weeks. I delivered at 31 weeks and 3 days. Right after I delivered Emma, I hemorrhaged and lost 2 liters of blood instantly. Following that incident, I had 2 blood transfusions. Fast forward 2 weeks and then I had more bleeding so ended up, briefly, in the ER. Thankfully it was nothing major. That said, Amanda was there for the ER incident, as it happened when I was visiting Emma in the NICU. Amanda handled it soooo well. She was calm and knew exactly what to do to help me! (Thankfully she was previously a post-partum nurse!) My husband and I can’t thank her enough for her ongoing support and care and we’d love to nominate her for the OwlGive Award. She is truly a special person.”

Nominated by Karen Maschi

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

“Amanda Masek was our primary nurse for our son David in 2021 as well as our nieces Clara in 2019 and Emmy in 2020. Amanda goes above and beyond every day to ensure her patients are given the BEST care and that their parents feel at ease caring for a NICU baby. Being in the NICU is very stressful, but we felt more confident caring for our newborn and understanding his plan of care with Amanda. My water broke early at 31 weeks and I stayed at Prentice until I delivered David at 34 weeks. Even before David was born Amanda would send me encouraging texts and visit me in antepartum. She’d educate us on what to expect from a preemie and the csection delivery so we would feel well-prepared when David arrived. She even made sure she could be there during the csection to take care of David right when he came out as part of the NICU code team (and to provide much needed encouragement to mom and dad!). During David’s NICU stay Amanda was the best coach, cheerleader and advocate for our little guy and the best teacher for my husband and me. As first time parents we had a lot of questions! She truly took a “not one size fits all” approach and gave us her expert tips and tricks for David’s care but was flexible and adapted them to our parenting style. Even on her days “off” she would text to check in to make sure he was staying on course and to see if we had any questions or concerns after daily rounds. We are so grateful for Amanda and would love to see her receive the OwlGive Award as a reflection of her hard work and dedication to all of the NICU babies and families she’s supported over the years.”

Nominated by Ellen Beckner

“Colleen is a tireless advocate for women and families navigating pregnancy as they wait the birth of a baby with expected complications. Many of our families are expecting babies who will spend significant time in the NICU due to complex medical issues. Some of our families know that even as they plan for their baby’s birth, that they will not be able to take their baby home. The families we support through our Fetal Center at Rush are at a particularly vulnerable time not knowing what will come next. Colleen provides caring and compassionate support to all of our patients. She is an amazing nurse, and makes sure that our patients have every resource available to help them through a difficult time. It is not uncommon for past patients to reach out to Colleen with updates about their family, and share what an impact she had on them. Colleen truly cares. Apologies, the picture attached is of me! Colleen is not one to seek the spotlight and I did not have a photo available of her!”

“Nancy provided unparalleled care for our daughter, Ella, during one of the scariest times of our lives. We were so incredibly fortunate that Nancy was working when Ella was born, and chose to follow us until the end of her 43 day NICU stay. Nancy’s approach to nursing combines the best of both worlds- she uses the data and facts available to her, while also observing and studying what the baby is telling us. Our daughter popped a hole in her lung on her third day of life, and without having even seen an X-ray, Nancy knew there was a massive problem and alerted the doctors. She then assisted them in an immediate bedside surgery, which today can only been seen by a scar the size of a pinprick. What also amazed us was Nancy’s dedication to her tiny patients. Nancy is an extremely active participant in rounds each day. Not only does she answer the doctors’ questions, but she asks them questions and makes suggestions based on what she has come to know from spending so much time with her patients. There is no downtime for Nancy- if she is not completing a routine nursing duty, then she is picking up the baby who’s parents cannot be there and reads to them. Never once were we concerned about leaving Ella to go get food or some rest. We knew Ella would not only be watched, but she would receive attention and interaction. Knowing when our daughter needed to be pushed and when she needed to rest are skills from Nancy that we learned and still use to this day. We cannot thank her enough for everything she did to help us bring our little girl home.”

“In July of 2020, my wife was admitted to Prentice Women’s Hospital, 22 weeks pregnant with our daughter. Over the next five plus months we were graced with dozens, if not hundreds of awesome nurses, therapists and doctors. It’s incredibly difficult to choose just one to nominate for this award. I picked Erin O’Connor because, as one of her primary nurses, she was a tremendous advocate for our child. But, in addition, she was a rock of support for my wife and I. Our child was born in August. As a “24 weeker,” She was admitted to the small baby room in the Prentice NICU. That is a terrifying place for a parent to exist. Erin helped us through the stress with her calm and empathetic demeanor. Our child had pretty much every complication a baby could have at that age. Erin never tried to sugar coat things, but made sure we knew when good news was really good news. She also helped coach the resident doctors as they gave their daily reports. It was obvious that Erin was extremely knowledgeable and drew from her experience with other children to help us understand everything that was happening.

Our child eventually graduated to a bigger room. Here is where we spent Thanksgiving, or daughter’s original due date, and then… Christmas. Erin helped us through all of it. She used simple analogies. For instance; we had “senioritis.” Like high school kids that can’t wait to get out of school. It was greatly reassuring that our feelings were “normal” for parents in our position. Our daughter’s biggest issues were related to her lungs. Eventually, an entire team of specialists, led by a doctor from Lurie Children’s Hospital were reviewing our child’s condition. When we asked for a meeting with this doctor, Erin switched days with another nurse so that she could attend. During the meeting, Erin was vocal about what she was observing while caring for our child, and impressed the specialist. We noted that the specialist met with both nurses that attended the meeting and worked with them to tweak our daughter’s treatment.

In January, when our child had finally made enough progress to start considering her release, we were expecting that she would go home with oxygen. but Erin encouraged us to let our daughter keep fighting to go home on her own lung power. And that’s exactly what happened. Erin switched up her schedule again to make sure she was there on the day our daughter was released. During this entire journey, the pandemic raged all around us. We know that Erin had to fight through that as well. Having to quarantine when she was exposed to the virus, and dealing with all the troubles of raising her own family during that stressful time. She still found the strength to be there for us. Each of our primary nurses are worthy of this award, but I feel like no one fought harder for all three of us than Erin.”

“I think Beth should receive the Owl award! We were so lucky to get Beth as our main NICU nurse during our stay at Prentice. My husband and I are first time parents, and we really had no clue what we were doing. Beth was amazing with our son! She taught us how to get on a normal feeding schedule, how to feed/burp him safely and even taught us how to change a diaper (no joke, neither of us had changed a diaper before our son arrived!)

Having a new baby is challenging enough, but then having to start his life off in a NICU makes it that much more difficult. Having Beth as our nurse was a blessing. Although it wasn’t ideal for him to be in the NICU, I feel as though it was meant-to-be so we could meet and learn from Beth.

She is extremely knowledgeable. She went above and beyond to help us with all our questions, and she even provided us with solid references for a pediatrician since the one I picked was not what my son needed. She was there whenever we needed her, and I felt so comfortable leaving my son in her hands. I wish we could have taken her home with us!”

“On March 31st, I was rushed into an emergency c-section due to severe preeclampsia and H.E.L.L.P. Syndrome. Lorelai Thompson was born at 31 weeks weighing 2 lbs 4 oz. The beginning of our NICU journey was lonely. We did not have the same nurse twice for the first month. Constantly meeting new nurses was so overwhelming. There was just no consistency and we never felt like we had anyone to lean on. Then we met Cyndi. The first day we had Cyndi, I mentioned that I still had not announced Lorelai’s birth because I did not have any “real” pictures of her. Unfortunately, Lorelai was whisked away by ambulance shortly after my c-section. When I was finally released from the hospital 5 days later and could be with Lorelai she was on a ventilator and we couldn’t see her face. Cyndi could tell how much these photos meant to me. She immediately got a white sheet for Lorelai’s bed, swaddled her and took our first family photos. It felt like we got something back that my emergency c-section took away from us. A few days later Cyndi was back and became our primary nurse. It was like we had someone in our corner for the first time.

Frequently the NICU feels like you are on the outside looking in. In the beginning we always felt like we had to ask permission to do anything, like hold our daughter. Cyndi would go above and beyond to make us feel comfortable and included. She would even set up bath time during the day shift so we could be apart of it since we often could not stay at night. At the end of our stay we had trouble with Lorelai not taking her bottle for some nurses (the last thing that she needed to accomplish to go home) and they would end up pushing it through her tube instead. After this I stayed in her room to feed her every single bottle myself so that she could go home. After staying up all night I was in the chair trying to get even a few minutes of sleep when Lorelai started crying. Cyndi’s shift for the day had just started. She came in, picked up Lorelai and held her while using computer in our room so I could finally sleep. When she was there I felt like we could finally breathe. We knew that if we went home to sleep, shower, eat, etc. that Lorelai was going to be taken care of as she was her own. Throughout our stay Cyndi was there for my family in more ways than I can even describe. These were just some things that stood out as moments that she was there for us in ways that I didn’t even realize at the time how much I needed. We can not thank her enough for being there for us. Cyndi deserves to be recognized as the outstanding and loving nurse that she is.”

“When my son, Theodore, was born extremely premature, we were incredibly fortunate that Megan Saksefski was one of his primary nurses. Megan is an incredible nurse and we were impressed by her from day one. Megan has such an exceptionally caring and compassionate disposition that makes her such a wonderful nurse. She was always so loving and kind towards Theo. Megan would speak so sweetly to him, hold him delicately and was so attentive to him and his medical needs. It was always so reassuring to walk into the NICU and see Megan caring for Theo. As Theo grew bigger and met milestones, Megan was so proud of him and beamed with pride. It was obvious how much she cared for Theo. Megan was also compassionate and patient with me and my husband. Megan always took time to answer our questions or address our concerns. She never made us feel like a bother; rather, we felt like Theo was her only patient. She also encouraged us to exercise kangaroo care with Theo, which truly helped us feel connected and bonded with Theo. No matter how busy Megan may have been that day, she was always so encouraging for us to hold Theo, which initially was very time consuming for her due to all the machines. We really appreciate how supportive she was with something that was so important for Theo developmentally and for us as parents We were so impressed with how knowledgeable she was. Megan noticed my son’s heart arrhythmia, notified the doctors and pushed for it to be examined by cardiology. Having someone as attentive as Megan caring for my son was incredibly comforting. I trusted Megan immensely. When we were close to Theo being discharged, he had a brady restarting his brady watch delaying him coming home. I was crushed until I spoke with Megan who reassured me he was near the end of his journey, but in her opinion, even without the brady, he wasn’t quite ready to come home yet. Knowing Megan felt he wasn’t ready to come home snapped me out of my funk because I knew it truly meant Theo needed some more time. Megan helped make such a scary, difficult time more bearable and brighter. We are forever grateful to her and her dedication to our son.”

“When I was 24 weeks pregnant, I went to what I expected to be a routine doctor’s appointment only to learn I was in the beginning stages of labor. I ultimately delivered my son, Theodore, at 25 weeks and 3 days. My husband and I were overwhelmed with fear for our son’s health and wellbeing. We had suddenly been thrown into the NICU world feeling so helpless. Thankfully, on one of our first days at the NICU, we met Taylor Schrage, who stood by our side for Theo’s entire NICU journey. Initially, Taylor would sit by Theo’s isolette her entire shift keeping a watchful eye on him. To have her by his side during the precarious first couple of weeks was so reassuring. I knew Theo was in the best hands. Taylor is a natural. Her demeanor is perfect for a NICU nurse. She is warm, compassionate and dedicated to her patients and their families. She was always so gentle and sweet with Theo. She treated Theo as if he was her own. She was so attentive to him and his needs, always making sure he was comfortable, well-fed, had a clean diaper. As Theo grew older, he looked at Taylor which such love. It was a testament to her dedication and care for him during his NICU stay. Taylor also took care of me and my husband. She was supportive during the difficult times. She was great listener, provided us with honest advice, and even was a shoulder to cry on during difficult times. She taught us how to be parents and how to care for our child, which initially was an intimidating task. She taught us how to change Theo’s diaper, feed him, hold him and bathe him. She is incredibly patient, and answered all of our countless questions along the way. She would sit with me and my husband for long periods of time until we had every question answered. Taylor is smart and well-respected by her colleagues. This was evident during rounds when she would advocate on Theo’s behalf and the doctors would seriously consider her input when making decisions about Theo’s care. Taylor carefully balanced challenging Theo while making sure to not create unnecessary stress. We trusted Taylor immensely and knew she always had Theo’s best interests in mind. Taylor helped make such a difficult, trying time easier. Theo is home from the NICU and doing well and we very much attribute this to Taylor and her dedication to him. Taylor is so worthy of recognition for her dedication and hard work.”

“Kelli was my lifeline. Simple as that. She cared for Ronan and was amazing at all things baby, but also she really cared for me when I needed it most. She helped me feel confident physically and it my decisions. Also, she taught me literally everything l know about keeping my baby alive. She is the best. I always tell people that while being in the NICU was not ideal, all new moms would be so lucky to have a Kelli. I cannot thank her enough.”

“My daughter was in the NICU for 108 days having been born with a congenital diaphragmatic hernia. Heather became her primary daytime nurse and to say she made a horrible and heartbreaking situation better would be an understatement. She helped me create a routine with my daughter, she helped me dress her in cute outfits when we were finally able and then she taught me fun ways to decorate her crib when we weren’t. When we had to return to the hospital for a two week stay she came and visited us just to make sure Lily was doing OK.

I’ve received cards and Christmas presents from her since we were released. She truly became more than just a nurse, she became our friend. There is no one more deserving. She made me feel like a mom even though my baby was covered in wires that I couldn’t even hold her. She loves my daughter and she loves her job. It’s obvious she is doing exactly what she is meant to be doing. She is truly an angel, working exactly where she needs to be. She is so deserving of this award and more.”

“Being a first time, young mom was one of the scariest yet exciting time of my entire life. All that excitement came to a screeching halt when I went into labor at 25 weeks. I delivered my sweet Emerie Grace weighing only 1 lb 15 oz. She was taken from our delivering hospital immediately to Lurie’s where she started her 4-month NICU journey. Both Emerie’s father and I were absolutely beside ourselves and terrified. We just had this sweet baby girl whom we had no idea was going to be such a fighter. I can honestly say the first time we met Macy was a breath of fresh air and a really relaxing moment. We’d met this new nurse who in an instant made us not only feel safe but also trust in her to care for our baby. Time and time again, Macy would come into Emerie’s room to check in on us, check in on the baby or just to chat for a few minutes if she knew I was having a rough day. The day finally came for Emerie to switch from an incubator bed to an open crib and I could feel the pride and excitement bursting out of Macy’s heart. I knew in that very moment that she cared for my daughter in the exact way any mother could ever want.

Often time in the NICU you begin to feel isolated and alone but I always knew Macy was just a call light push away. Even some of the smallest things she did for us really did change our entire experience. Without ever missing a beat, during an holiday or occasion, Macy would make a sign to hang up in Emerie’s room. Was it a huge deal to anyone else? No. Was it life changing for my daughter? Probably not. But to James and I, it really change our entire experience. She made us feel like we had a friend always looking out for us. Emerie Grace was in the NICU from November 4th, 2020 until March 6th 2021. As her parents, we spoke to TONS of staff members. While I feel they were all amazing, no one ever compared to Macy. She can light up a room, make an situation seem easier and really just has a true passion for her job. I cannot think of a more deserving person other than Macy.”

“Jenn is the most kind caring nurse I have ever met. She became a 2nd mom to my son who was in the NICU for 415 days. She cared for him like he was her child. The way she looked at him, and he looked back at her made it easier for me to leave the hospital at night. Most importantly she helped me get through those 415 days, she will never know the true impact she had on our entire family. She put our family first some many times during our stay she deserves this award for making a difference in our lives. I’m sure she continues to do this for other families as well. Thank you Jenn for helping us survive the most horrific situation possible!”

“Kristina went above and beyond with baby Grace Elizabeth Norman while she was in her care at the NICU. She was patient, kind, empathetic, nurturing and an expert at what she does. She took care of Grace and nursed her back to health and also helped my husband and I transition to parenthood, teaching us tips and tricks during our time in the NICU. We will always remember her help and dedication for our family and will be forever grateful.”

“Best day nurse ever. Came out of the hospital trained and very comfortable with my sons tracheostomy care and g-tube care.”

“Our daughter’s NICU journey was long (9 months & 3 days long) & involved a transfer to Lurie in order for her to receive her trach & g-tube. Transferring hospitals & leaving her wonderful team of primary nurses at Prentice was challenging for us. We were nervous to start over with a new care team who didn’t know our daughter & navigate a new hospital. In our first days at Lurie, we met Anna & we’re so grateful we did. She quickly became Maggie’s night shift primary nurse. I can’t tell you what a blessing it is when you are unable to be at your baby’s bedside but you know that the nurse who is with them loves them. We always knew she was in great hands with Anna & we found ourselves staying in the NICU later at night so we could spend time not only with our daughter, but with Anna, too. Anna went to Michigan (as did my husband Craig) & gifted Maggie her first Michigan hoodie, made adorable art with her feet prints to celebrate monthly milestones & celebrated with us as Maggie reached new milestones like switching to her home ventilator. She spent many nights helping our daughter fall asleep (we think she liked Anna too & just wanted to stay up & play!) & we’re so grateful for how patient & caring she was. Since we couldn’t have any other visitors due to COVID-19, we were extra lucky to have Anna with us during our long NICU stay. We’re so glad she is a part of our lives & Maggie’s journey!”