Jenna consistently demonstrated a genuine commitment to getting to know our daughter as an individual, allowing her to provide highly personalized care. She was always positive, approachable, and incredibly supportive of my husband and me as we learned to care for our baby. She made us feel like valued members of the care team and encouraged our involvement every step of the way. One of the most challenging aspects of our daughter’s NICU journey was her intolerance to bovine-based fortification. After the introduction of bovine fortifier, our daughter became increasingly restless, gassy, and inconsolable. As parents, we could clearly see a change in her behavior and discomfort. We brought these concerns forward to multiple providers (including physicians, nurse practitioners, and dietitians) over several days. Despite our repeated concerns, we were told that the current fortification was “the standard” and that there were no alternative options. We were advised to wait and manage symptoms rather than address the root cause.

This was incredibly frustrating as parents watching our baby in discomfort while feeling unheard and helpless.
Jenna changed that experience for us. She took the time to truly listen to our concerns and validated what we were seeing. More importantly, she took action. Jenna advocated for our daughter in a way that we had not yet experienced during our stay. Despite previous resistance from the care team, she collaborated with the team and successfully pushed for reconsideration of our daughter’s feeding plan.

Because of Jenna’s advocacy, the providers agreed to trial a different fortification option. The results were almost immediate and profound; our daughter’s gastrointestinal discomfort improved, she became more settled, began sleeping better, and was able to take in larger volumes of feed orally. Jenna’s willingness to listen, think critically, and advocate for individualized care made a lasting impact on our daughter’s progress and on our experience as parents. She reminded us what true patient-centered care looks like, not just following a standard, but seeing the patient in front of you and fighting for what is best for them. We are incredibly grateful for Jenna and the difference she made in our daughter’s journey. She is deeply deserving of the DAISY Award.