Suburban celebrates 10th birthday with NICU grads

Updated: Friday, October 31, 2025 4:04 PM

Suburban celebrates 10th birthday with NICU grads

Millard Fillmore Suburban Hospital (MFSH) celebrated its Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) with a birthday celebration to recognize a decade of providing specialized neonatal care to the hospital's tiniest patients. The celebration took place in the hospital lobby.

The NICU at Suburban cares for ill or premature newborns who are born at 32 weeks or later and weigh at least 1500 grams, approximately 3 pounds, 5 ounces, requiring advanced neonatal care. Since 2015, the Suburban NICU team has cared for over 2,400 newborns, allowing those moms and babies to remain in the same facility after birth with the added convenience of remaining in the suburbs and closer to home.

When constructed, a brand new fourth floor was added to the north end of MFSH to house the 10-bed exclusive single-room unit. It became the first NICU in Western New York to provide specific accommodations designed to keep parents and babies together promoting greater bonding and breastfeeding, the first of its kind in WNY.

"Every baby cared for in our NICU represents a story of resilience," said Judy Baumgartner, president, Millard Fillmore Suburban Hospital. "We are so grateful to the families who entrust us with the care of their precious newborns and allow our team to be part of their story."

The birthday celebration brought former NICU families, physicians, nurses and community members together to honor the unit's success and countless stories of strength and recovery.

"Over the past ten years, the NICU team has touched so many lives in a profound way," said Deepali Handa, MD, medical director of NICU at John R. Oishei Children's Hospital and medical director at Millard Fillmore Suburban's NICU in 2015. "This recognition is a tribute to the team's excellence and focus on providing high quality care and their commitment to the children and families we serve."

As part of the 10th birthday celebration, Millard Fillmore Suburban Hospital invited NICU families to submit their photos and stories. Many of those who shared their stories were present, including the Fox family, with son Aric, the first infant admitted to the NICU when it opened.

"I remember them coming to me and saying we have to take him to the NICU, and we just opened our NICU," said Emily Fox. "At first, I was like 'Oh my gosh! How scary,' but they also explained that if they had not opened the NICU that night, they would have had to transfer him, and I would've had to stay. I was extremely grateful. It was such a relief, and being a first-time mom, they were so helpful and so nice."

View more photos that captured the event here.