Carrie Ketter
August 2025
Carrie
Ketter
,
RN BSN
Neonatal Intensive Care Unit
Northwestern Medicine Central DuPage Hospital
Winfield
,
IL
United States
Carrie has consistently gone above and beyond, not just in clinical care, but in compassion.
Carrie gave our family a moment we will treasure forever.
My mom has ALS, diagnosed three years ago. While she remains mentally sharp and deeply connected to us, she’s no longer able to speak, walk, or move her arms. Despite the immense challenges she faces, she shows up with strength and presence.
One day during a NICU visit, Carrie noticed my mom watching the babies and gently asked if she’d like to hold one. Her whole face lit up. Though our twins were still in isolettes, Carrie lowered the bed to meet the height of my mom’s wheelchair and carefully helped her guide her arm into the port. My mom beamed the entire time. She later told me it made her whole week. We were all in tears.
My parents had visited many times before, but no one had offered this. I didn’t even know it was possible. Carrie made it happen without hesitation, and in doing so, she gave my mom a piece of grandparenthood that had felt out of reach. After everything our family has been through with her diagnosis, it was such a positive, healing experience, one that brought us together in joy rather than grief.
After my parents left that day, I thanked Carrie for making that moment so special. I’ll never forget what she said:
“Aww, of course! Every grandparent wants to be able to hold their grandchildren!”
That one sentence captured her heart so perfectly.
Her care didn’t end there. Throughout our stay, Carrie always remembered my mom and dad, greeting them warmly whenever they came to visit and sharing in their joy over the twins. She remembered everything we talked about every day we were together, always asked how my mom was doing, and genuinely cared about all of us, not just the babies.
Carrie has consistently gone above and beyond, not just in clinical care, but in compassion. Early in our stay, she recognized how much I wanted to breastfeed and was the first to encourage me to begin non-nutritive sucking at 32 weeks. She was incredibly supportive and affirming, reminding me that every small step mattered. Even when she wasn’t assigned to our twins, she would check in to see how it was going, celebrate progress with us, and offer kind words that kept me going. Her encouragement helped me stay committed and hopeful, even when things felt uncertain.
The NICU experience is filled with highs, lows, and unknowns, but Carrie brings light into it. She treats our twins like her own and somehow always seems to know what kind of support we need, even without us asking. Her kindness, intuition, and heart are extraordinary, and she has made an unforgettable impact on our entire family.
We are endlessly grateful for her.
My mom has ALS, diagnosed three years ago. While she remains mentally sharp and deeply connected to us, she’s no longer able to speak, walk, or move her arms. Despite the immense challenges she faces, she shows up with strength and presence.
One day during a NICU visit, Carrie noticed my mom watching the babies and gently asked if she’d like to hold one. Her whole face lit up. Though our twins were still in isolettes, Carrie lowered the bed to meet the height of my mom’s wheelchair and carefully helped her guide her arm into the port. My mom beamed the entire time. She later told me it made her whole week. We were all in tears.
My parents had visited many times before, but no one had offered this. I didn’t even know it was possible. Carrie made it happen without hesitation, and in doing so, she gave my mom a piece of grandparenthood that had felt out of reach. After everything our family has been through with her diagnosis, it was such a positive, healing experience, one that brought us together in joy rather than grief.
After my parents left that day, I thanked Carrie for making that moment so special. I’ll never forget what she said:
“Aww, of course! Every grandparent wants to be able to hold their grandchildren!”
That one sentence captured her heart so perfectly.
Her care didn’t end there. Throughout our stay, Carrie always remembered my mom and dad, greeting them warmly whenever they came to visit and sharing in their joy over the twins. She remembered everything we talked about every day we were together, always asked how my mom was doing, and genuinely cared about all of us, not just the babies.
Carrie has consistently gone above and beyond, not just in clinical care, but in compassion. Early in our stay, she recognized how much I wanted to breastfeed and was the first to encourage me to begin non-nutritive sucking at 32 weeks. She was incredibly supportive and affirming, reminding me that every small step mattered. Even when she wasn’t assigned to our twins, she would check in to see how it was going, celebrate progress with us, and offer kind words that kept me going. Her encouragement helped me stay committed and hopeful, even when things felt uncertain.
The NICU experience is filled with highs, lows, and unknowns, but Carrie brings light into it. She treats our twins like her own and somehow always seems to know what kind of support we need, even without us asking. Her kindness, intuition, and heart are extraordinary, and she has made an unforgettable impact on our entire family.
We are endlessly grateful for her.