KALISPELL — Logan Health in Kalispell offers the highest level of neonatal care in Montana, making it a prime destination for any babies that need extensive medical assistance. Many of those babies, now grown, are reuniting with the doctors and nurses that helped them live.
The third annual Neonatal Intensive Care Unit Reunion celebration was hosted at the Sunshine Factory, a house built by Lori Williamson that is used as a getaway for NICU parents.
“Many NICU mommies can be over there for ten, fifteen, twenty, even a hundred days. So it's just nice to get some time away from there, clear your mind, and hopefully we can do that for you,” Williamson said.
Both inside and outside the walls were filled with children playing, running and living healthy lives — which could have never been done without the medical professionals at the NICU.
“They come from all over the state to see our wonderful doctors, and to be in our wonderful hospital," Williamson said.
One of those NICU parents is Nikki Jouppe, who is the mother to twins Brina and Claire, who were born at only 26 weeks in the early stages of the pandemic.
“They were two pounds each and lots of ups and downs, lots of things that…just when you want it up it goes down type of thing," Jouppe told MTN.
The twins spent six months in the Logan Health NICU and once discharged, they had another several month long stay in the PICU, but now, the girls are as happy and healthy as can be.
“But now our girls are just super healthy and strong and are out in the sunshine and eating dirt and all that good stuff," Jouppe said.
Like many NICU families, much gratitude is given to the nurses and doctors, and Clinical Nurse Manager Shelly Green is one of the many who helped Brina and Claire.
“Its a blessing, it's a miracle, and to know that I played a very small part in that, it's fantastic," Green said.
Jouppe and Green will always be connected, and due to good reason.
“It kind of connects them with their why, of like why they're coming there everyday to see these girls thriving is really good for them. It's good to see them too, they're part of the family," Joupee said.
