02/07/2025
Catherine and Kayla Scatterday periodically visit Danbury Hospital’s Spratt Family Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) to drop off inspirational cards and drawings they have collected from the community to families and staff.
The mother-daughter duo from Ridgefield, Connecticut, started a fundraiser last year, Born to Thrive, to support the NICU following a tour they took of Danbury Hospital inquiring about ways they could help.
“We wanted to do something together to give back to the community, and the NICU touched both of us,” Catherine Scatterday said. “It has been moving for both of us to see all these tiny babies and what they and their parents and staff are fighting for.”
Learn more about Danbury Hospital’s NICU.
In addition to providing heartfelt messages to staff and families, the Scatterdays have a goal of raising $10,000 to support the unit’s ongoing efforts to provide advanced treatment and compassionate care to premature and critically ill newborns and their families.
Kayla Scatterday, a high school senior, said they quickly surpassed their original goal of raising $1,000 by engaging schools, pediatrician offices, fitness centers and financial institutions to help with the campaign.
In December, they won Charity of the Month from Fairfield County Bank, receiving $1,000 and advancing to the championship round for another $1,000. So far, they have raised more than $7,000.
“It is so important for the NICU to have the support of the community and families like the Scatterdays. The goal of everyone in the NICU is to provide the best possible care for the babies in our community,” NICU Registered Nurse Kathleen Budzik said. “Having a NICU at Danbury Hospital allows us to do that while keeping the babies close to home and family. Fundraisers like Born to Thrive allow us to support these families during a very stressful time.”
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The NICU at Danbury Hospital houses the only Level III NICU in the region, providing excellent care for the most complex neonatal conditions. Some of the services include 24/7 neonatology coverage, attached parent rooms, donor breast milk, breastfeeding support and specialized treatments for baby’s lungs and respiratory system.
Learn more about ways to support Danbury Hospital.
On their website, the Scatterdays also share stories of gratitude from families who have benefited from Danbury Hospital’s NICU.
“To hear these stories is really wonderful,” Kayla Scatterday said. “To see these kids today and how they are thriving gives people who are now going through it hope.”