Tiny Miracles, Big Reunions: DeTar Hospital North Celebrates 4th Annual NICU Homecoming
5/13/2025
Parents of children admitted into the facility’s level 3 NICU were invited to reunite with nurses, staff, and neonatologist to celebrate growth since their child’s release.
What began as a quiet, lifesaving moment in the neonatal intensive care unit turned into a joyful celebration of resilience and reunion at DeTar Hospital North on May 8. The hospital’s annual NICU reunion welcomed back dozens of families whose babies once clung to life in the care of DeTar’s Level III NICU team—and who now returned, walking, giggling and growing fast.
The reunion was more than just a gathering. For parents, it was a full-circle moment—an emotional chance to reconnect with the nurses, doctors and support staff who helped guide them through some of the most vulnerable days of their lives.
“When a newborn enters our NICU, everything changes,” said Mary Claire Bradshaw, director of the Women & Children's Center at DeTar Hospital North. “The bond that forms between our staff and these families is immediate and powerful. You don’t forget the faces of the people who held your baby when you couldn’t.”
DeTar’s Level III NICU is one of the highest-level neonatal facilities in the region, equipped to care for premature infants and newborns with critical medical needs. The designation, recognized by the Texas Department of State Health Services, ensures 24/7 coverage by board-certified neonatologists and specialists capable of treating babies born as early as 23 weeks.
“The hearts of our patients are truly in our hands,” Bradshaw said. “We’ve seen families through unimaginable challenges. When those same families come back with their toddlers and children, it’s a reminder of why we do what we do.”
For the care team, the reunion is just as meaningful. Nurses who once monitored breathing tubes and incubators now get to see those same children smiling for the camera, coloring, snacking on the delicious spread created by the hospital’s dietary department and playing with the other children.
“These aren’t just patients to the DeTar NICU team—they're family,” Bradshaw said.
And for many Crossroads families, DeTar’s NICU has been a source of comfort beyond its medical capabilities.
Because the hospital offers such a high level of neonatal care locally, most families are spared the stress and disruption of transferring their newborns to hospitals hours away from home.
“Having this level of care right here in Victoria means parents can stay close, and that makes a world of difference,” Bradshaw explained. “It’s personal for us. These are our neighbors and our friends.”
This year’s reunion offered a rose for each of the mothers attending as it was held prior to Mother’s Day, refreshments, and heartfelt conversations between the staff and the families. It also served as a special chance to take family photos along with the NICU team, with many of the NICU graduates holding a photo of themselves while in the NICU. Local photographer Danny Vivian captured the moments on camera of the staff hugging parents, playing with the children and many happy tears shed.
“There’s something incredibly hopeful about this event,” said one of the parents attending. “It reminds you that miracles happen here every day.”
For families who’ve walked the NICU journey, DeTar Hospital North’s reunion is a celebration of milestones, medicine, and the enduring power of compassion. To view the photos from the event, visit DeTar’s Facebook Page and find the photo album or visit: .https://www.dvivianphoto.com/DeTar-North-NICU-Reunion.
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