Santa Visits Tiniest Patients

Cute kids and a visit with Santa go hand-in-hand this time of year. For new parents, those precious "firsts" are moments they treasure and can never get back. Babies who, for a variety of reasons, spend their first days or months in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) may not get that chance and their parents no keepsake memory.

The Making Memories committee at OSF HealthCare Children's Hospital of Illinois in Peoria found a way to make those memories for their tiny patients and their parents.

In a completely "aawwww" moment, Santa paid a visit to the NICU. For babies stable enough to leave their rooms, a picture on Santa's lap was taken. If not able to leave their isolette, Santa came to them - 55 in all, including multiple sets of twins!

Parents were thrilled with the unexpected opportunity to capture the life-long memory.