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as told by Katie Jolley
 Seventeen years ago, I was born premature, clinging to life, at Gundersen Lutheran Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). Born 10 weeks early, I was just 2 pounds, 15 ounces.
Today, I’m happy to report, I’m a healthy, happy 5’10” teenager. I am so thankful for the care I received at this critical time in my life that I wanted to give something back. So, I created a special CD, “Songs of Hope,” for parents of at-risk babies. I chose to make a CD, playing the clarinet and cello, to give families hope for their sick babies.
I specifically wanted to make the CD for Gundersen Lutheran because I was born there. I carefully handpicked the 11 songs, including “Mockingbird,” the tune my mother sang to me as a baby.
After more than three months of hard work, 130 copies of the CD were finally completed. I was happy to return to the NICU to present the CDs. At the reception, three of the nurses that cared for me as a baby were there to accept my gift. The CD is given free to families who take home smaller, pre-term babies, like I was. It makes me smile when I think about the babies listening to the CD.
From my own heart, I wanted to write parents a special message which I attach to the CD. It reads, in part:
When I was born on Nov. 18, 1989, my chances of living looked pretty slim. If you are reading this, you are taking home your own “at-risk” baby, who has finally been released into your care.
I am now a 17 year old and as normal as can be expected for teens today. I’m perfectly healthy, and have yet to be hospitalized for a long period of time. I’ve been involved in several sports, and I’m still active on the swim team, which I enjoy greatly. Even though my worries about math, ACT scores, college and French are not at the top of my list of blessings, in a way they are a blessing, just because I survived to struggle through it all.
I wish your son or daughter the same blessings, and that they will be able to live their life to the fullest, sharing their light with you. I hope these songs fill you with hopes and dreams of what your baby may someday accomplish.
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