A Special Night Celebrating 15 Years of Hope
Our 5th Annual Night for the NICU was one that will always be special.
This year marked 15 years since the Little Giraffe Foundation was founded in honor of our daughter, Cheyenne, whom we lost after she was born three months premature. Over the years, we’ve shared her story often, because she is the reason this foundation exists. But this year, we also spent time reflecting on the journey of her twin brother, Evan.
During the evening, co-founder Mike Santoro shared Evan’s NICU story with our guests. Evan spent more than 100 days in the NICU and endured heart surgery, eye surgery, and at one point, a life-threatening bloodborne infection that doctors feared he would not survive. Today, Evan is thriving. He’s running cross country, taking driver’s ed, and getting straight As, a living reminder of how far neonatal medicine and compassionate care have come, and why continuing to support families and research matters so deeply.
Amanda Santoro spoke about another critical part of the foundation’s mission: advancing neonatal research. She shared the story of one of the researchers supported by the Little Giraffe Foundation and read a letter describing how our early funding helped produce preliminary findings that ultimately led to NIH funding. It was a powerful reminder that community support does not just help families emotionally in the moment, it can also help drive medical breakthroughs that improve outcomes for premature babies for years to come.
Two of our incredible volunteers also spoke during the evening and gave heartfelt perspectives on the impact these NICU gifts have on families.
Emily Wilhite, who delivers Little Giraffe Foundation gifts to families at Lake Forest Hospital, shared why she volunteers and why these deliveries matter so much. She spoke about the importance of showing NICU parents that they are seen, supported, and not alone during one of the most difficult times in their lives.
Renee Hogan, who delivers gifts to Rush University Medical Center, shared her perspective as both a volunteer and a former NICU parent herself. Having experienced the NICU firsthand after the birth of her premature baby, Renee described how isolating and overwhelming those days can feel. She spoke emotionally about how meaningful it is for families to receive a gift during that time, a simple but powerful reminder that someone cares and that there is hope ahead.
The evening was filled with laughter, celebration, connection, and gratitude as supporters came together to honor 15 years of impact. Because of this incredible community, the event raised more than $25,000 to support NICU families and neonatal research.
Over the past 15 years, the Little Giraffe Foundation has:
Delivered more than 35,000 NICU family gift bags
Funded 195 NICU support grants
Provided more than $415,000 toward neonatal research
None of this would be possible without the support of our donors, volunteers, sponsors, board members, and everyone who has stood beside us throughout this journey.
Thank you to everyone who attended Night for the NICU, supported our mission, and helped make this year’s event so meaningful. We are incredibly grateful, and we look forward to continuing to bring hope to NICU families together.
For a full gallery of photos visit our Facebook page.
