SALINAS VALLEY — Nearly 500 parents, children, physicians, nurses and staff recently gathered for Salinas Valley Health’s Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) Graduate Reunion, a biennial celebration of fragile beginnings that have blossomed into thriving childhoods.
A baseball-themed “Graduate Grand Slam” made for a festive atmosphere at the Ryan Ranch PrimeCare location with bouncy houses, inflatable batting cages, a petting zoo, games, food and the ever-popular diaper derby.
Salinas Valley Health’s Level III NICU, a partnership with Stanford Medicine Children’s Health, brings the most advanced neonatal care to Monterey County.
For parents, the reunion was a reminder of the care and compassion that carried them through uncertain times. The fear and vulnerability experienced by families have been replaced by joy and gratitude.
“It wasn’t just the advanced technology and skilled expertise that put my mind at ease, it truly was the compassionate care,” one parent shared.
Stories spanned decades, from toddlers chasing bubbles to former NICU graduates now attending college.
“Each baby has a story,” said Dr. Robert Castro, Stanford Children’s neonatologist and medical director of Salinas Valley Health NICU. “To see them years later, strong and smiling, is the greatest honor of my career.”
For the families in attendance, the reunion was more than an event, it was a measure of how far they have come and a chance to thank the people who help support promising futures.
A mother of twin daughters who spent a week in the NICU said, “I can’t imagine the added challenges we would have faced without this level of care available right here at home.”
