When kindhearted individuals unite, there's nothing they can't do -- including warm the hearts of so many parents in such a special way. The March of Dimes recently partnered with St. Luke's Hospital in Kansas City, Missouri, for an unforgettable All Hallows' Eve surprise. Nurses and volunteers helped make the upcoming holiday a memorable one for moms and dads by outfitting NICU babies into adorable Halloween costumes that are too precious not to see.
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Parents of preemies were able to select their child's felt costume -- from superheroes to cute insects and athletes -- that volunteers graciously made by hand.
And as you can imagine, the end result is both incredibly festive and absolutely heartwarming.
Aww!
"The idea is to be able to allow parents to have a sense of normalcy," Michelle Manuel, St. Luke's director of media relations, told ABC News. "In the NICU you might be there for weeks or months and this is to help spend that first Halloween and those special first moments together -- make those special family memories with us."
More from CafeMom: 10 Fascinating Facts About the NICU
Emmalee Schaumburg is one of the volunteer photographers who helped with the event and captured these amazing shots. Once a parent who spent time in an NICU herself, Emmalee told CafeMom that she can relate to these moms and dads with preemies on a personal level -- and she feels honored to give back:
After spending five weeks in the NICU I knew how hard it was for all NICU families. I'm a professional photographer so I knew that I could use my talent to help document their story, so that once they are out of the NICU they can look back on it and see how far they have come.
As a volunteer for March of Dimes, I provide this free service and hope it brings a little happiness to them during such a hard time. It really is a privilege for me to get to work with these precious babies!
More from CafeMom: 20 Things Not to Say to a Mom of a Preemie
What a sweet and thoughtful gift to the parents at St. Luke's. One can only imagine how it must feel not being able to take home your precious LO for such a length of time -- or to hug and hold your child without restriction.
I believe in being kind and acts of service that help give life that extra bit of sparkle so many deserve.
This Halloween surprise was so lovable and such a wonderful memory these parents will never forget.
Plus, parents received a pretty awesome grab bag -- including sweets, a Halloween book to read to baby, and a "Trick-or-treat, smell my feet" card with their child's footprints.
Now that's just too darn adorable!
Great job, everyone!
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Images via Schaumburg Photography/Facebook
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