SAN ANTONIO — Nurses and parents alike read to the babies that are cared for in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) at CHRISTUS Children's.
This had a great impact on Abby Collins and her family when their daughter, Hosanna, was born prematurely and had to stay in the NICU for 39 days in August of 2023.
One year later, Abby has created a fundraiser where you can buy books for the NICU.
On August 12, Abby and her family plan to take all the books collected through this drive to the hospital. She picked the date because it's the day after her daughter's first birthday.
"I just want to give back to the hospital that did so much for us," Abby said.
On July 31 Abby, Victor and Hosanna were reunited with the nurse, Jennifer Martinez, that took close care of Hosanna while she was in the NICU. Martinez said she also watched over Abby.
At the time Abby was still healing from her C-section. On top of her recovery she also had to face the fact that she couldn't be with her baby like other mothers could.
It was 18 hours after Hosanna was born that Abby had the chance to meet her.
"She fit in my hands," she said.
Hosanna weighed a whole three pounds at birth. Doctors said Hosanna would have developmental delays but at almost one-year-old she's walking and her motor skills are functioning well.
A year ago the Collins never thought they'd be here.
" You want to be the one to protect her…feed her…and when she’s early…you can’t," Victor said.
To participate in the book drivem all you have to do is scan the QR code below or visit the link here to purchase a book from the NICU Amazon Wishlist and Collins' family will deliver them all the day after her daughter's first birthday!
