Fighting for NICU babies and their families: Beacon Children’s Hospital shines in national spotlight

Story first published November 8, 2024. Updated January 16, 2025.

Loud monitors. Harsh lighting. Blinking machines, crying babies and cramped spaces filled with anxious families. Renowned neonatologist Dr. Bob White envisioned a more nuturing NICU environment that could better serve premature babies and support their loved ones.

For decades, Dr. White and members of the dedicated team at Beacon Children’s Hospital have collaborated with the University of Notre Dame, leading groundbreaking research and developing global guidelines for NICU design and care. The pioneering standards developed at the Beacon Children’s NICU have been adopted by hospitals worldwide, resulting in improved outcomes for vulnerable babies and their families.

We are proud to be highlighted in this national “What Would You Fight For” story that’s entitled, “Fighting for NICU babies and their families. First airing in November 2024, this story will be highlighted again during the 2025 College Football Playoff Championship Game.

Thank you to Dr. White for participating in a story that continues to shines a light on our collaboration with Notre Dame and our world-class NICU here in South Bend, Indiana. And we also thank Jay Tipton, a Memorial Hospital of South Bend surgery department nurse, who experienced the improved NICU firsthand with his wife, Elizabeth, after their twins were born.