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Corniche Hospital hosted its annual 8th Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) Reunion at the City Golf Club. The annual event brought together more than 100 former patients of the NICU, along with their parents and siblings, and hospital staff in a celebration of the “miracles” who were once tiny babies and now growing children filled with the spirit of life. The event attracted about 100 of Corniche Hospital’s NICU graduates ranging from the age of a few months to 8 years old. Dr Adil Shubbar who is the longest serving Neonatal Consultant at the Corniche Hospital opened the ceremony.
“Out of 8,000 babies born in Corniche Hospital every year, nearly 10 percent are born prematurely and are admitted to the hospital’s NICU with minor or severe complications,” said Dr. Mariam Al Mazrouei, Deputy Chief Executive of Corniche Hospital. “It is an emotional moment for our staff when a tiny baby succeeds against all odds and leaves the NICU healthy. Our annual reunion celebrates this miracle and the special bond that’s created between our NICU staff and the families who go through this very difficult experience. Apart from reconnecting with our little “graduates” and their families and sharing experiences, the NICU Reunion also helps us to raise awareness about premature births in the UAE and the region.”
The 235-bed Corniche Hospital, the largest maternity health care facility in the UAE, is owned and operated by Abu Dhabi Health Services Company (SEHA), which is responsible for the curative activities of all the public hospitals and clinics of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi. The hospital is managed by Johns Hopkins Medicine International, the international arm of Baltimore-based Johns Hopkins Medicine. It is the regional referral center for high-risk pregnancies and 1,000 admissions to the neonatal care unit annually, and 64 beds in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU).
“Families with children who once called the NICU home are more excited to see the doctors, nurses and staff who guided them through their first weeks and months of life”, said Shirley Hargreaves, hospital’s Assistant Director of Nursing for NICU and one of the organizers of the event.
One such parent is Mrs. Jilly Macmillan. She and her one year old daughter enjoyed reconnecting with the hospital staff. “When my daughter was delivered and placed in the NICU, I was devastated. I could not imagine going through this difficult experience without the support of the NICU staff. Not only were they caring and loving to the babies, but they helped us with the answers, and their reassuring smiles helped us to get through this challenging time in our lives. The NICU reunion is a wonderful opportunity for us to reconnect and appreciate the great job they are doing,” said Mrs. Macmillan.
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