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Riley NICU Reunion Brings Patients and Staff from Across Indiana
09/13/2007
Indianapolis - On Saturday, September 15, 2007, the Riley Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) Reunion will take place from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on the Union Building lawn, directly across the street from the Riley Outpatient Center.
Over 1,000 patients and families gather to reunite with their Riley NICU physicians, nurses and staff of the Riley NICU.
At 11 a.m., remarks will be made by: Dan Fink, CFO Riley Hospital for Children, Dr. James Lemons, Section Director for Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine, Dr. William Engle, Director of the NICU, and William Taylor, Riley Chaplain
All of the families who come to the picnic have incredible stories of their premature children who were born in Riley's NICU. Among those are Bloomington parents of 4 year old Matthew Kinser, born at 22 weeks 6 days and 1 ½ year old Cassandra Smith's family from Swayzee who was born at 23 weeks and 6 days. Franklin College students Jennifer and Ryan Wadsworth are 22 year old twins who were born at Riley at 25 weeks gestation in an era before the use of surfactant. (A treatment developed since their birth which speeds development of premature lungs.) All of these families will be at the picnic to celebrate and are happy to talk to interested reporters.
The Riley NICU was the first in Indiana and was established in 1970. It is recognized as one of the premier NICUs in the nation, and is ranked as a top 5 NICU by Child Magazine.
NICU survival rates have dramatically improved over the years due to improved obstetric care and prenatal diagnosis, surfactant therapy, sophisticated ventilators, ECMO, and other treatments. Much smaller infants are now included in the 50% survival rate group. In 1970 that weight was 3lbs 5 oz, and by 2005 it was 1 lb 3 oz.