News Releases
“I opened the doors”
Haley and Hal Bidelman, the first patients when NICU opened in 1991, join other preemies at Grad Party this Sunday (20)
For Release: September 17, 2009
PALO ALTO, Calif. -- Maybe this calls for some special name tags.When 18-year-old twins Haley and Hal Bidelman step into the Dean's Courtyard on the Stanford campus this Sunday (20), they’ll join over 150 neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) graduates at the annual “NICU Grad Party.” Every year the reunion brings together over 400 very grateful family members to help celebrate the life-saving care provided by the NICU staff at Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital. In the midst of all this happy commotion, each family will have a poignant story to tell about their baby, each born a bit too early.
Of the thousands of babies cared for at the Packard NICU since its opening in 1991, someone had to be the first. Enter twins Haley and Hal, born June 4, 1991, at 27 weeks and cared for at Stanford Hospital & Clinics until the NICU at Packard Children’s was launched six weeks later on July 15. Both still have tiny t-shirts that say "I opened the doors." Haley and Hal moved away and haven’t been able to attend since 1992. Now, they’re seniors at Lincoln High School in Sacramento and busily making college plans. The whole family is thrilled to make a return appearance to where life started. "I can’t wait to show Haley and Hal some of the people who took care of them in the very earliest part of their lives,” said mom Debi Bidelman.
That means seeking out Joan Cordes, RN, who was born a preemie herself in 1945 and has been taking care of tiny babies for 44 years. “We remember Joan caring for the twins,” said Debi, “and it’ll be wonderful to see her again. The entire NICU staff was so knowledgeable, and this helped us be less afraid for Haley and Hal.”
Sunday’s reunion kicks off at 2:00, with plenty of entertainment for everyone. Along with face painting provided by the San Francisco and Palo Alto Auxiliaries and the Circle of Friends, activities will also include a clown, petting zoo, performing parrots and even some Stanford athletes. “It’s an afternoon of thanks for both the staff and the families,” said Barbara Boyington, RN, longtime Grad Party coordinator. “The families are thankful for the care we’ve provided, and we’re thankful to share in their happiness.”
“It’s just as emotional for the staff as it is for the families,” said William Benitz, MD, chief of a neonatology team that specializes in the most complex cases and cares for over 1000 premature babies a year. “To realize that the kids we treated as preemies are out living their lives reaffirms how special our work is, and it makes us extraordinarily proud of what we do.”
That pride can certainly be seen through the lives of patients #1 and #2. “Our kids are thriving because of the dedication of the NICU staff at Packard,” said Debi. “This is a bond we share with all the families we’ll be meeting on Sunday, and we can’t wait to be a part of it.”
About Lucile Packard Children's Hospital
Ranked as one of the nation's best pediatric hospitals by U.S.News & World Report, Lucile Packard Children's Hospital at Stanford is a 312-bed hospital devoted to the care of children and expectant mothers. Providing pediatric and obstetric medical and surgical services and associated with the Stanford University School of Medicine, Packard Children's offers patients locally, regionally and nationally the full range of health care programs and services, from preventive and routine care to the diagnosis and treatment of serious illness and injury. For more information, visit www.lpch.org.
Media Contact
Robert Dicksrdicks@lpch.org
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