Focus: A Place Where Fragile Lives Grow Strong

Kim Rose had been at Shady Grove for four weeks of bed rest when she found out her father-in-law had passed away. Within hours, the twins - at just 26 weeks - were born, weighing only 1.83 and 1.11 pounds. Today, the Roses are focusing their thanks for the babies' four months of intensive care by supporting a new NICU for tomorrow's most delicate newborns.

Marc and Kim Rose grew up with Shady Grove Adventist Hospital. In fact, they almost took its care for granted. But with the extremely premature birth of their second set of twins, "We thanked our lucky stars we have such a facility close to home."

Shady Grove made this trying time easier for the Roses'. Before the birth, staff made their two little girls' month of visits to mom seem as normal as possible. They gave Kim emotional support knowing of her father-in-law's illness, familiarized her with the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), and did everything to delay the twins' arrival.

When the twins' birth did come, Kim felt amazingly at ease. She saw around her a now-familiar team of doctors. "I knew I could turn my babies over to them, that they would get the babies healthy and strong enough to come home."

Afterwards, Kim eased into "the routine of being a NICU mom." For four months, Kim says, "a brilliant and dedicated team of nurses and specialists" took expert care of the newborns, and supported her as she learned to hold them - tiny infants connected to vital technologies. Thanks to their care, Penelope and Theodore, now age two, have moved into healthy toddlerhood.

So when Shady Grove focused on plans to build a larger and even better equipped NICU, the Roses recognized their opportunity to give back. "We were thrilled to help," Marc says. As he has learned, "It's not uncommon for newborns to spend a day or week in the NICU." With the community's support, we can all be ready.