Our Baby Story: The St. Luke's Hospital Reunion

Starting a Kansas City Tradition: The Saint Luke’s Hospital’s NICU Reunion

1978 brought the joy of having our first daughter, Vanessa, join our family.  Although born four weeks early, she was healthy and came home when I left the hospital.

1980 combined one of the hottest summers on record and the Royals’ pennant race with our having another baby. Due in late November, I expected to complete my Master’s in Special Education prior to delivery… or so I thought. 

This little one couldn't wait. Due to complications, I was admitted to the hospital on Friday, Sept. 12, and kept on bed rest for the duration. The following Tuesday, our doctor announced it was time to decide when this baby would be joining the world.

Our little one would be delivered cesarean section like her sister, but when? We chose Sept. 19, my brother’s birthday. Having picked the date, the wheels went into motion to make sure the baby stayed healthy. We were concerned our little one was arriving 10 weeks early, but our doctor believed in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at Saint Luke’s Hospital in Kansas City and knew our baby would be in good hands.

Friday morning arrived. I went into the delivery surgical suite with my husband by my side to give me added strength. We would welcome our baby together!

At 8:42 a.m., Nicole Rae joined our family. She weighed in at 3lbs. and was 16.5 in. long. We were allowed a brief glance and light touch before she was quickly taken to the NICU. A few weeks later, we learned that had she been born a year earlier, she probably would not have survived. We were so fortunate that the late ’70s brought such advancements in neonatal medicine, because the enhanced equipment at Saint Luke’s NICU helped little babies like our daughter survive.

We were amazed with the care Nicole received. Though it was difficult to watch our baby each and every day and not be able to caress her, the nurses and doctors made sure we were involved as much as we could be. She was isolated, all by herself, no human touch other than pokes and prods. While that was necessary for care, we couldn’t help but wonder what impression she was receiving about her world.

It helped that we were getting to know other parents and babies in the NICU. Thirty-two years later, the memories of these many conversations—sharing our fears and hopes—remain strong. We wondered what the future would hold for our babies.

Each nurse and doctor in the NICU became an integral part of the lives of each family. They watched over our babies, helping them to be healthy, and guided the parents in how to care for our little preemies. Through the many long hours of conversations with nurses on each shift, we grew to understand that the nurses and doctors didn’t know what the future might look like for our preemies.  An album with pictures of former NICU residents was passed around, but those pictures only told part of the story. 

As the time grew near for us to leave, there was a feeling of wanting more. We wanted to come back and visit the nurses and doctors, and they needed to see the babies grow. After all, we were all part of the celebration of the miracle of birth and survival for our preemie babies. And so, the idea of a reunion was born. It seemed simple: set a date and invite the babies, nurses and doctors. Families and NICU staff could then visit and enjoy each other’s company, update each other and see how much our little miracles had grown.  

The NICU staff worked with Saint Luke’s Hospital’s public relations staff to make the first reunion a grand success! That first year, almost 20 babies and their families joined the celebration in a conference room in the old nurses’ building. Everyone was impressed by the turnout. As years passed, the reunion grew, changing locations to accommodate the growing group—the hospital cafeteria, the Life Center Gymnasium and ultimately, the Kansas City Marriot Downtown. The hotel is now the site where hundreds of babies and their parents gather—each family having been touched by the hands of doctors and nurses from Saint Luke's NICU.

Nicole and I have returned for all but one of the reunions. And there is nothing better than introducing her to a new mom just starting her journey and telling her with pride, “This is our preemie…they do grow up!”

About Saint Luke’s Hospital’s NICU Reunion

Each June, the nurses and doctors of SLH NICU reunite with the babies and families whom they got to know so well during their time together. Begun in 1981, Saint Luke’s NICU reunion is the longest-running in the Kansas City Metro. Hundreds of NICU graduates and their families get together to not only share in some family fun—like face painting, a photo booth and year-by-year reunion photos—but also reconnect and share how their babies are growing, developing and impressing their parents every day.

Theresa Van Goethem and her husband, Dan, live in Kansas City, KS. Nicole lives with her husband, Greg, and two children, also in KCK.