Debra Selip, Neonatologist
Rush University Medical Center
Nominated by Matthew Sanders

"It is the greatest honor of my professional life to nominate Dr. Debra Selip for the Jackson Chance Foundation's Owl Give Award. As the Patient Care Coordinator for the Rush University Medical Center NICU, I have coordinated more than 200 family meetings in my short time with the organization. I work alongside an extraordinary team of providers, truly the best group I have ever shared a NICU with. And still, Dr. Selip stands in a league of her own.

She is, without exaggeration, one of the most brilliant minds I have ever encountered. Her clinical knowledge is encyclopedic; it often feels as though she carries an entire medical library in her memory. But what makes her remarkable is not just what she knows, it is how she gives that knowledge to others. She has a rare, almost sacred ability to translate the most complex and life-altering medical information into language that is clear, compassionate, and human. No matter a family's background or health literacy, she ensures they truly understand their child's journey.

Family meetings in the NICU are unlike any other conversations in medicine. Parents walk in carrying fear, hope, exhaustion, and sometimes anticipatory grief. The air in the room can feel heavy before a single word is spoken. In these moments, every detail matters: where you sit, how you hold your hands, the tempo of your voice, the pauses between sentences. There is an art to delivering hard truths without extinguishing hope. Dr. Selip is the absolute best I have ever witnessed at this art.

She physically lowers herself to a family's level. She softens her tone without softening the truth. She explains not only what is happening, but why and what comes next. She creates space for tears, for silence, for questions asked more than once. She makes families feel seen, respected, and never alone. Even in the most devastating circumstances, she leads with courage and steadiness. Families leave those meetings feeling informed, supported, and empowered in the midst of chaos.

Her dedication to improving outcomes for our tiniest, most vulnerable patients is relentless. She advocates fiercely. She thinks critically. She challenges herself and those around her to be better. Our babies are alive, thriving, and loved more intentionally because of her influence. Our families carry less confusion and less fear because of her presence.

Dr. Selip is not only one of my favorite providers, she is one of my favorite humans. She embodies compassion without ego, brilliance without arrogance, and leadership without intimidation. She elevates every room she walks into. In a place where miracles and heartbreak coexist daily, Dr. Debra Selip is a steady light. She is a superhuman force for good in our NICU, and there is no one more deserving of the Owl Give Award."