The Hall of Hope, featuring 25 photos of previous neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) patients, was unveiled in an intimate ceremony Monday evening. Those who were featured in the photos, along with their families, were invited to a small celebration reception. Hugs, smiles and laughter were in abundance as each family walked the hall.
Kathy McMillan, MA, RN, director for Employee Spiritual Care and co-chair of the Aesthetics Committee, says the desire of NICU leadership to provide an avenue for hope was instrumental in prompting the Hall of Hope update.
“When a baby ends up in the NICU, no matter the seriousness of the diagnosis, it’s a crisis for the parents,” McMillan said. “It’s heartbreaking. It wasn’t the ideal scenario any parent had in mind for their child’s birth.”
The Hall of Hope, first installed in the 1990s, is located on the third floor of Loma Linda University Children’s Hospital (LLUCH) NICU. It featured pictures of infants who had been treated in the NICU and were now grown and thriving.
The update of the photos began in May. McMillan and her team worked closely with NICU nurse managers to connect with previous patients. Children, teens and young adults of various ethnicities, ages and diagnosis were chosen to represent as many possible scenarios and outcomes. The team working on the project wanted to give hope and comfort to as many struggling parents as possible.
“This hallway provides a place of hope for them,” McMillan says. “To see that other families have faced something similar, to see children from toddlers to late twenties who are now thriving, is a reminder that life, growth and a future await beyond the confines of the hospital. We want this space to provide the hope for a brighter future.”
Employees are encouraged to visit the Hall of Hope located on the third floor of LLUCH NICU by entering through the doors near the nursery. Badge access is required.