Meet Lauren LaRosa

‘I truly wouldn’t be here without them’: How a NICU baby grew up to become a NICU nurse

Lauren LaRosa has always known she wanted to work in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). Her journey began in 2002 when she was born at just 26 weeks, weighing 1 pound, 7 ounces. She spent three challenging months in the NICU, including 42 days on a ventilator. After going home, she required oxygen for 15 months and therapy until age two.

Now, more than 20 years later, Lauren returns to the NICU—not as a patient, but as a nurse, beginning her career in the place where her life began.

“I am absolutely thrilled to begin this new venture and to be able to share my story with NICU families,” Lauren says. “It’s hard to explain what I felt when I shadowed in the NICU during my interview. I can only describe it as pure passion and excitement.”

After graduating from the University of South Carolina Honors College in May 2024 and starting her career in a step-down cardiac ICU, Lauren’s heart remained with neonatal care. She recently began her new role in the NICU, inspired by the support that helped her own family through such a difficult time.

A pivotal figure in her journey is Rachel Balck, March of Dimes NICU Family Support® Program Coordinator, who was there for Lauren’s parents during those early months. Today, Rachel is more than part of Lauren’s past—she’s a mentor.

“I really want to give back that same love and care that I received when I was a NICU baby to other families that need it,” Lauren says.

The LaRosa family was among the first to benefit from the March of Dimes’ NICU Family Support program, launched just a year before Lauren was born. Considered the premier program for NICUs, it offers family education, staff training on family-centered care, and helps improve the overall patient experience with the support of March of Dimes experts. Her mom, Amy, recalls:

“Rachel made sure that I was in touch with other moms that had been through that journey. Even while we were in the NICU, there was another family whose son was born about a month after Lauren, and Rachel got us in touch with them. We walked through the NICU experience together.”

Rachel believes what Lauren went through will make will make her a powerful advocate for the families she’ll care for in the NICU. “Lauren's experience as a patient and then hearing stories from her mom about what that was like to deliver a very small baby—I think she will continue to carry that perspective and be an incredible healthcare professional,” she says.

Outside work, Lauren continues to embrace new challenges. She recently hiked the Grand Canyon Rim to Rim in a single day. “The hike was something I never thought I could have done, but it was an experience I will never forget,” she says.

September marks NICU Awareness Month, a time to honor NICU patients, their families, and the dedicated healthcare professionals who support them. March of Dimes, through NICU Family Support, reaches over 50,000 families each year at more than 70 hospitals nationwide, providing guidance at every step.

Lauren’s story shows the powerful impact of expert medical care and compassionate support. When families in the NICU get the help they need, it’s not just about survival—it’s about giving babies the chance to thrive. Lauren is living proof of what’s possible.

“I can’t help but thank every single healthcare worker and March of Dimes for helping me fulfill my dreams,” she says. “I truly wouldn’t be here without them.”