Babies born prematurely who've beaten the odds with the support of their families as well as the doctors, nurses and other team members in the University of Colorado Hospital (UCH) Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) gathered August 6 in General's Park on the Anschutz Medical Campus.
Families whose babies were cared for in UCH's NICU gather every year to catch up with their physicians, nurses and other care team members.
It was a celebration of lives that began sooner than planned or with complicated health issues. These babies -- many now young adults -- and their families battled for survival and won. Among the celebrants were those once referred to as 'premies' and newborns that needed specialized care.
Members of the UCH team host this party to recognize the babies who have graduated from the NICU and their families. Altogether 600 attended this year's picnic now in its 27th year.
This year's theme of the picnic was a 'rockin' 1950s.
Photo includes former patients and family members as well as UCH team members (left to right) Christy Math, RN BSN MSN; NICU nurse manager Kari Waterman RNC-NIC MS CNS; NICU nurse educator, Lou Ann Stout, RN