Families of NICU patients, medical staff reunited at Fresno hospital

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- A special event brought babies back to see the staff who helped them survive at a Fresno hospital on Sunday.

Community Regional Medical Center planned the event to reunite with past patients of the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, or NICU.

"This is a celebration of our families. Our babies, their parents, and all their loved ones. This is the party that we've waited almost four years to put on again," explained Diana Cormier-Farrah, a clinical nurse specialist.

The event was started over a decade ago.

Cormier-Farrah says this event recharges the staff to stay inspired to help the babies that come through their department.

"These families become our family. When you have a baby in the neonatal ICU for weeks or even months, they become your family member. When they go home, we don't always get to see them. We don't know how they're doing when they go home," said Cormier-Farrah.

She says the day's highlight is reconnecting with families like the Von Flue family.

Megeane and Andrew Von Flue's twins were born at about 25 weeks.

"We went through it twice at the same time with identical twins. And we were able to really cultivate a great community with the doctors," the couple explained.

The twins were in the NICU for four months.

Having a child in the hospital is a tough time for any parent but being back for Sunday's event was inspiring and uplifting.

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