Lisa Kelly, BSN, RNC-NIC

Our son was born at 37 weeks and taken right to the NICU in the hospital. At 4 days old, he was flown to the NICU at Nemours. We found out he had developed PPHN, RDS, and eventually respiratory failure. As first-time parents, all of this was absolutely terrifying and unimaginable to us.

After 35 days in the NICU at Nemours, he graduated. We met Lisa on Thanksgiving, and from the moment we met her, she brought a sense of calm and light to the darkest time of our lives. She had a way of making us feel safe, supported, and truly cared for, even on the hardest days.

She became our son's primary nurse, and it was the best thing to happen to us. She was there to advocate for him, educate us, and she knew him better than anyone.

Lisa didn’t just take incredible care of our baby; she took care of us, too. She always made sure we felt comfortable and never rushed, and she would spend so much time answering our many questions. No matter how small our concern or how many times we needed reassurance, she met us with patience, kindness, and understanding. As new parents, that meant everything. She helped us build confidence in ourselves at a time when we felt so unsure.

Lisa also made it a point to check on me and make sure I was okay. As a first-time mom who was struggling with my child being so sick, it meant the world to know that she saw me and that I had her support. Her compassion showed in every interaction.

The way she spoke to our baby, the gentleness in her care, and the genuine love she showed made it clear that this was more than just a job for her. She treated our baby like her own, and that gave us a level of comfort that is hard to put into words. Because of her, we found moments of peace and even hope during a time filled with fear.

We trusted her with the most important thing in our lives, our baby, and for that we will never be able to thank her enough. She encouraged my husband and me to take walks in the hospital, get some fresh air and rest, and take care of ourselves too.

We bonded over our shared love of the Eagles, music, and our love for our families. She constantly had us laughing with her. Lisa’s laugh is infectious, and we will never forget it!

We also spent Christmas in the NICU, and she made sure our son got to see Santa and have his picture taken, as well as making sure the Christmas Tree in his room was always lit up!

Now that our baby is home and healthy, we often reflect on how much her presence meant to us. We will always be grateful for the care, support, laughter, and comfort she gave our entire family.