As the child life specialist, I was blessed to be able to work alongside the mother/baby and NICU staff, including Reid Douglas, nurse coordinator with supportive medicine. All the team was fabulous in caring for this precious family who did not have a very long time to prepare for the birth of their son and his impending death.
Yet, something about Reid just resonates with my heart and I hope that he is rewarded for his loving and selfless contributions. Reid's heart is apparent as he shares himself and his nursing skills and talents with our families. After experiencing the loss of his own precious little girl, he has drawn from his journey to help others in similar situations. As we would all hope that we may use our experiences in life to help others, I am not sure how many of us do. Reid is one of those special individuals. Each time I pass him in the hall, his authentic and genuine spirit is evident. We are blessed to have him here.
Reid offered his care to this family and let them know he would be there for them however he could as they experienced their loss. He also took the extra step to find out about the company who made memory jewelry from the fingerprint of the baby so the parents could have it forever. Reid had received this special gift when his daughter died, and it meant so much to him. Due to the limited timing, Reid researched and purchased a mold we could use since we couldn't get the actual one from the company in time. He called them to find out how to make it happen for this family, and then he did just that. In the precious moments, as the family was able to hold their little son, Reid slipped in and got the print he needed, without any emphasis on himself.
We are fortunate to have Reid Douglas as part of the supportive care team. Each person on the team day after day partners with our families in the most difficult and delicate times a person can experience. They give of themselves emotionally and physically in a unique way. I am confident that this example is one of many of the special contributions that are never mentioned, as recognition is not the motivation of Reid's nature. Thank you to each of the team and thank you to Reid who is a selfless reflection of the Love that provides Hope.

Note: This is Reid's 2nd DAISY Award!