Photo Credit: Houston MethodistHealth
Houston Methodist The Woodlands hosts Holiday NICU Reunion
Over the weekend, the halls of Houston Methodist The Woodlands Hospital transformed into a holiday wonderland for a reunion for families whose little ones once received care in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). Since opening in 2017, The Woodlands NICU team has supported more than 1500 families through their most delicate moments — and this event was all about celebrating those journeys together.
Former NICU families returned to reconnect with the nurses and physicians who cared for their babies, while enjoying festive activities like cookie decorating, ornament crafting, balloon art, and even a snowy play pit. Children had visits from Santa and The Grinch, creating special holiday memories for all.
This reunion tradition reflects Houston Methodists commitment to family-centered care and the lasting bonds formed in the NICU.
Meet Katie Moyer and her three sons, Will, Sam, and Jack. Sam and Jack are twins, and they were born at 34 weeks. Jack stayed in the NICU for a little bit over four weeks, and Sam was in for a little bit more than three.
Katie Moyer shared, “What’s special about the NICU, and the people specifically that work here, is you build relationships with the nurses and the doctors. And the ways that they care for the children — it’s just the peace of mind that you need as a parent. So, we’re so grateful for the journey, the people that work here and the ways they cared. The medical attention that they got, I truly believe saved their life, saved my life. And we’re just so grateful and grateful that we get to come back and visit and be a part of the reunion.”
“So, having twins, I was coached pretty early on that really anything could happen. And so I really kind of held that loosely. But 34 weeks was not the plan, necessarily. But they, we kind of had an emergency delivery when they lost Jack’s heartbeat and couldn’t find it. That’s scary. There’s so much that’s unknown in the first few weeks and months of life. I have a new perspective on the miracle of life. I know that that’s not everyone’s story and so grateful that it is ours.”
“Again, the gratitude that I have for the people here is really special. To even keep in touch outside of just a NICU reunion and so to have those people in our lives and know the level of care who’s beyond their stay here is really special. I mean, in so many ways, it felt like these nurses were like mom, they treated our children like they were their own. Being able to develop the relationships that we had with the nurses and truly believe that they were the connection of our kids. So it really feels like a gift from God that we got to experience life.”
Meet Katie Moyer and her family:
Source: Houston Methodist
