Annual NICU Halloween Costumes Bring Smiles to Families
10/26/2023
Aspirus Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) Care Team
Every year, a
heartwarming tradition takes place in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU)
at Aspirus Wausau Hospital that not only warms the hearts of parents but also
captures the imaginations of the entire community.
It's the annual NICU
Halloween Costumes event, where dedicated healthcare professionals and
volunteers come together to craft adorable Halloween costumes for the tiniest
members of our community.
Now in its fourth
year, the NICU Halloween Costumes event has become a cherished tradition. The
concept behind it is simple yet profound: to bring an extra dose of joy to
parents whose newborns find themselves in the NICU during Halloween.
Aspirus Registered
Neonatal ICU Nurse, Heather Hetzel explains, “For these families, the
experience can be challenging, and we wanted to make their babies' first
Halloween special and memorable.”
The preparation for
this heartwarming event starts weeks in advance, as the NICU team gets creative
to come up with cute and imaginative Halloween costume ideas. These costumes
are not your ordinary off-the-rack outfits; they are handcrafted with love and
care. Nurses, doctors, and volunteers get together at someone's house for a
fun-filled crafting night, where they put their skills to work to make these
tiny costumes a reality.
“One favorite among
the costumes created is the 'baby burrito,'" says Heather. “There's also a
'little old granny' costume that never fails to leave people smiling.”
The attention to
detail and the sheer cuteness of these costumes captivates the hearts of many.
and leaves people in awe of the creativity and dedication poured into this
annual event.
The joy extends
beyond the NICU as the costumes are brought to life when the infants are
dressed up. Each tiny pumpkin, superhero, or animal is carefully adorned, and
the babies are transformed into the cutest Halloween characters, ready to
spread joy and warmth to all those around them. These heartwarming moments are
captured through photographs, which the hospital's media team lovingly shares
on social media.
The impact of the
NICU Halloween Costumes event is immeasurable. Not only do these costumes light
up the lives of the NICU babies and their parents, but they also serve as a
reminder of the incredible dedication and compassion of the NICU staff and
volunteers.
“Seeing their babies
participate in the Halloween fun, even while in the NICU, provides parents with
a sense of normalcy and an opportunity to create lasting memories,” says
Heather.
It's a tradition
that will undoubtedly continue to shine a light on the beauty of compassion and
the magic of creativity for years to come.
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