OMAHA, Neb. (KMTV) — Every Christmas Eve, former NICU nurse Rebecca Kroupa delivers special journals to the NICU along with ornaments and other treats to make spending the holidays in the hospital a little easier.
- Brett Newton and her son Oliver received a NICU journal from Kroupa last year. This will be Oliver's first Christmas home.
- The journal allows families to document their child's journey in the NICU, along with milestones and mental health check-ins.
- "And so it just gives a little bit of holiday cheer to these families.. a little bit of normalcy."
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
It’s the holiday season, a time where many are able to spend time with family at home but some don’t have that privilege, like our neighbors and their babies in the NICU. That’s why one nurse has made it her mission to bring some holiday cheer to these families.
This is Brett Newton and her son Oliver.
You guys are home now, will this be his first Christmas?
"This will be his first Christmas home. So we're super excited about that," said Newton.
Oliver was born four months earlier than expected and spent the first eight months of his life in the NICU.
"These preemie babies are born feisty, they're born fighters. That's the only way they get through. And he is, he's just strong," said Newton.
When Oliver was in the hospital, Newton received a gift from one of Oliver's nurses.
The gift; a journal for families to help document the NICU journey.
"You know, when you got to hold them, you know, first time you fed them, their first bath,"
It came from Rebecca Kroupa.
"This journal allows them to document their whole journey through the NICU, allows them to fill out all the milestones that are specific to the NICU," said Kroupa.
As a NICU nurse for over five years, Kroupa wanted to create something that families could use as a resource, not only to document their child's health journey but also all the emotions a new parent feels in those weeks and months.
And that's when she started Precious Preemie Moments and every Christmas Eve, she delivers these journals to the NICU along with ornaments and other treats to make spending the holidays in the hospital a little easier.
"And so it just gives a little bit of holiday cheer to these families, a little bit of normalcy," said Kroupa.
It's something Newton is thankful for with her son now home for the holidays.
"It's amazing that he gets to be, you know, with, with me and my family. That gets you emotional. I try not to cry but he wouldn't be home if it were for Becca and for other nurses of the NICU," said Newton.
Precious Preemie Moments is accepting donations until December 13th. You can follow them on Facebook or Instagram to donate.
