When Michelle Guerrero and her husband welcomed their daughter Olivia on November 8, 2012, at Texas Children’s Pavilion for Women, their excitement quickly gave way to anxiety. Soon after Olivia was born, she had trouble breathing and was rushed to the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) for observation.
Olivia had developed pneumothorax, her lung had collapsed and she needed a chest tube and breathing tube. As a parent, Guerrero worried about her daughter’s lung condition, but having cared for premature and critically ill infants in the Newborn Center, she knew Olivia was in the best place for treatment.
“My daughter spent three weeks in the NICU, and I am grateful for the exceptional care she received,” Guerrero said. “As a nurse, I am also proud of the incredible work we do every day to improve the outcomes of our babies in the Newborn Center.”
For Guerrero and her NICU colleagues, there’s yet another reason to be extremely thankful.
On October 20, the 19th annual Bad Pants golf tournament donated $375,000 that will support life-saving programs and services for the tiniest patients at Texas Children’s Newborn Center who are in need of premier medical treatment. Each year since 1997, the turnout at the annual golf outing continues to soar.
“As a grateful parent and a representative of the presenting sponsor, it’s very exciting to see how much the tournament has grown over the years,” said Les Fox, Bad Pants Open committee member and managing director of RBC Wealth Management. “We filled three golf courses with nearly 400 golfers wearing some really bad pants to raise funds that will directly support the care of premature babies and their families. I can’t wait to celebrate our 20th year in 2017!”
The event included a check presentation to the Newborn Center where the proceeds will advance innovation and excellence in the research, treatment and care for the more than 2,500 critically ill and premature infants who are treated at the Newborn Center each year.
Crystal Cruz, the recipient of the 2016 Bad Pants NICU Nurse of the Year award, says this generous donation will go a long way to improve patient outcomes.
“Giving is an act of charity and every year, the Bad Pants golf tournament helps our organization continue to make miracles happen,” Cruz said. “I am extremely grateful for this event and all that is donated to help us continue to help save these precious, tiny lives we are entrusted to care for.”
View a photo gallery of the 2016 Bad Pants Open.
