Nicholas overcomes prematurity
Born prematurely, Nicholas was diagnosed with pneumonia, immature
lungs and pulmonary hypertension and needed immediate specialized care. Within a
day of his birth, Nicholas was transferred to Children's Memorial Hospital's Level III Neonatal Intensive Care
Unit (NICU) where the area's most critically-ill infants are treated.
“When we arrived at Children's Memorial, Nicholas was struggling and looked
so bad that we began to prepare ourselves for the worst,” says his mother, Anna.
Led by internationally-known neonatologist Robin Steinhorn, MD, the Raymond and Hazel Speck Berry
Professor of Neonatology, the NICU team saved Nicholas' life with an innovative
approach based on the latest research. By gently infusing nitric oxide into his
lungs through a breathing tube, the treatment lowered the critically high
pressure in his lung vessels and allowed his heart to obtain the oxygen it
needed. Dr. Steinhorn is a pioneer in using nitric oxide as an alternative to
other more invasive methods.
“In the NICU, saving babies is our passion,” says Dr. Steinhorn. “From the
moment we wake up in the morning until the end of our day, we are focused on
incorporating the latest research into better treatments and prevention efforts
to heal newborns.”
Today, Nicholas is a healthy, active pre-schooler — right on track
developmentally and enjoying life to its fullest.
Your support will help cutting-edge research continue at Children's Memorial,
leading to cures that reunite sick babies with their families and enable them to
grow and develop normally. In the last decade, tremendous strides have been made
in treating neonatal conditions and more are just around the corner.
Children's Memorial Hospital seeks philanthropic funding to enhance its
programs and services. As a proud partner of the Children's Miracle Network
(CMN), all funds raised in the Chicago area through CMN also benefit Children's
Memorial. To find out how your support can help the hospital better serve
children and families, please contact the Children's Memorial Foundation at
773.880.4237 or Foundation@childrensmemorial.org.