Deborah Kabasenche, of Naperville, is an elementary school principal at Hinckley- Big Rock Elementary School. She loves the small, rural community where she has the privilege of working alongside an incredible staff and community.
Deb is also the proud mother of almost-20-year-old triplet daughters: Abigail, Madelyn, and Amelia. Now that her girls are off to college, Deb is learning to slow down and enjoy some new hobbies, including flower gardening, crafting, and creating homemade dog food recipes for her 9-year-old Bichon-Poodle, Stella. She enjoys taking walks in the forest preserves, attends Compass Church, and especially looks forward to the holidays when all three of her girls come home!
Deb began volunteering with Little Giraffe Foundation in July 2013 when a board member, who was also a friend and neighbor, needed someone to help with a one-time delivery. Deb felt an immediate connection to LGF because of her own family's NICU experience. One of her triplets spent a couple of weeks in the NICU at Edward Hospital, where the team provided the support, love, and empathy her family needed during such an emotional time.
Over the past 14 years, Deb has volunteered at both Rush Copley Medical Center in Aurora and Central DuPage Hospital in Winfield. Six times a year, she packs and delivers gift bags to NICU families for Valentine's Day, Easter, the Fourth of July, Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas.
Along the way, Deb has developed friendships with several of the greeters at CDH's Women's and Children's Tower. Depending on the delivery, she may drop off the bags with the Child Life Specialist or bring them directly to the nurses' station.
When her family first started volunteering with LGF, Deb had to keep a close eye on her triplets as they helped with deliveries. Today, those same girls are old enough to pick up supplies, pack the gift bags, and even drive them to the hospitals themselves! It's a special experience whenever all four of them can make a delivery together.
One of Deb's favorite volunteer memories was when CDH hosted a Superhero Day for its PICU and NICU patients. Thanks to the relationship she had built with the Child Life Specialist, Deb was asked if she and her mother would make superhero capes for the babies. It was a meaningful and fun project to share with her mom, and the little ones looked absolutely adorable dressed as Superman, Superwoman, Batman, Batgirl, and Wonder Woman!
Little Giraffe Foundation is incredibly grateful to Deb for giving so much of her time, energy, and heart to the tiniest patients and their families. According to our records, Deb and her daughters have packed and delivered gift bags to more than 2,350 families throughout her years of volunteering!
Thank you, Deb, for your incredible dedication and for showing us how one family's NICU experience can inspire years of kindness and giving. We are so fortunate to have you as part of the Little Giraffe Foundation family!
