Hundreds attend annual NICU Reunion at Children's & Women's Hospital
“Today, we see not just former patients, but fighters, miracles, and living proof that hope prevails,” said Manimaran (Maran) Ramani, M.D., MPH, chief of neonatology and medical director for the NICU. “This is why we do what we do, and it is one of the most fulfilling honors imaginable.”
By Casandra Andrews
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Despite grey skies and drizzling rain, neonatal intensive care unit graduate Angel Hinote couldn’t stop smiling on Sunday.
The 27-year-old and her mom attended the 2025 NICU Reunion at Children’s & Women’s Hospital to reunite with the physicians and nurses who helped Angel when she was born prematurely all those years ago.
More than two and a half decades later, some of the same doctors and nurses who cared for her were in attendance and delighted to see the healthy young woman she has become. The Baldwin County family was among hundreds of people who filled the cafeteria, courtyard, and hallways on April 6 at the hospital, to offer hugs and share stories.
With the only level III NICU in the region, the hospital has been hosting the reunion annually for more than 30 years. While some who braved the bad weather were experiencing their very first NICU reunion, others come every year.
“It’s kind of like seeing your superhero again,” said one dad while holding his little boy in his arms. “We say thank you, thank you, thank you.”
Clad in signature hoop-skirt dresses, Dogwood Trail Maids greeted guests near the hospital lobby on Sunday, posing for photographs. SouthPaw, the mascot for the University of South Alabama Jaguars, was also on hand, giving fist bumps and taking selfies with staff.
With a nautical theme for the 2025 event, there were multiple photo booths, barbecue dinners, cake, games, prizes and even a display of sea creatures from the Dauphin Island Sea Lab for the kids and their families to explore.
USA Health’s NICU has a long history of helping the smallest newborns survive and thrive. The 98-bed unit admits more than 1,000 infants each year and includes within it a specialized small baby unit for micro preemies.
In a two-year period from 2016 to 2018, more than 96% of the babies born at 26 weeks’ (about 6 months)' gestation survived. The survival rate for babies born at 22 weeks during the same period was close to 70%.
That success rate — and the sustained effort from healthcare staff who influence it — are some of the reasons the reunion is so popular and well attended. The NICU staff includes a multidisciplinary team of neonatologists, nurses, educators, and therapists, all dedicated to providing the best care for the region’s tiniest patients.
“I feel immense pride and joy as we celebrate this incredible NICU reunion,” said Manimaran (Maran) Ramani, M.D., MPH, chief of neonatology and medical director for the NICU. “Witnessing our graduates healthy, thriving, and full of life — despite the challenges they once faced — is truly extraordinary. It serves as a powerful reminder of the unwavering dedication, skill, and compassion of our team, who transform fragile beginnings into bright futures.
