You’re never too young for the Halloween spirit.
Volunteer Candy Martin hand-crocheted these Halloween costumes for infants in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at Marian Regional Medical Center in Santa Maria.
The proof is at the Marian Regional Medical Neonatal Intensive Care Unit.
The Santa Maria NICU is celebrating Halloween by having the infants wear tiny costumes hand-crocheted by Candy Martin, a volunteer for 23 years in Marian’s labor and delivery, mother and baby, and NICU departments. She created 10 costumes single handedly to provide some cheer for the infants and the families.
“Marian has been such a special part of my life. I love to crochet and I love the staff, so I wanted to do something that would encourage them and provide a spark of happiness,” Ms. Martin said in a news release. “I know these past couple of years have been especially trying for them, so if this brings them some happiness, it’s a success.”
Usually the NICU at Marian celebrates its graduates with an annual Halloween-themed NICU reunion, typically hosting more than 300 tiny tots and their loved ones.
At the event, the infants and their families reunite with the physicians, nurses and volunteers who cared for them during their earliest and most fragile days. This year’s event was canceled due to COVID-19 safety concerns.
Instead, Ms. Martin was able to magically produce smiles with her special costumes for the infants.
“This very kind gesture brought joy to the parents of NICU infants, as well as the staff,” said NICU Director Chris Jacowchik. “Without our annual celebration, where staff and graduates come together, this allowed us the opportunity to spread some cheer among the unit, which was beneficial to everyone after such a difficult year.”
email: dmason@newspress.com
