INDIANAPOLIS – Santa visited the patients and families at Peyton Manning’ Children’s Hospital Friday.
For the third year in a row, neonatologist Dr. Jonathan Buechler put on his santa suit and joined patients and families at the hospital for the holiday season.
“Dr. Santa” visited a set of triplets, micro preemies, and some soon-to-be NICU graduates.
The hospital says the event helps to normalize the hospital environment and give families something to look forward to during the holiday season.
“They’re so glad that they can still participate in holidays in a different way in the NICU, but they're so excited to make these memories and still celebrate baby’s first Christmas even though they are in the NICU,” Meredith Murray, Certified Child Life Specialist said.
“It’s vitally important that we look at the whole family. We look at parents and how they’re doing, at the siblings and how they’re doing at home,” Murray said. “Thinking about all the moving parts of the family and all the stressors that come alongside NICU admission and hospitalization, wherever we can add some joy and some normalcy in a not-so-normal environment, we always want to do that.”
The NICU at Peyton Manning Children's Hospital at Ascension St. Vincent wish a Merry Christmas to all.
