A Full Circle Moment at QMC Neonatal Unit | Latest news

A baby born at just 24 weeks’ gestation at Queen’s Medical Centre (QMC) in 2001 has returned to the same hospital as a Neonatal Nurse, caring for the very patients that were in her shoes on the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU).

Mickayla Wright, now a newly qualified nurse, is working alongside the same consultant, Dr Stephen Wardle, who helped care for her during her earliest and most fragile days of life.

Born at the end of July, weighing just 0.8 kilograms, Mickayla spent several months in neonatal care before finally going home in November. Now, 24 years later, she has come full circle.

“It’s really nice to give back to the people who practically saved my life,” she says.

Inspired by the care she received from doctors, nurses and allied health professionals and following in the footsteps of her mum, who is also a nurse, Mickayla chose a career in neonatal care to support families facing similar journeys.

Now working on the unit, she uses her own story to support families:

“When I tell parents I was born at 24 weeks and was once on this unit, it gives them hope. Things might feel really difficult right now, but there can be a positive future.”

She is currently caring for a baby born at a similar gestation to her own:

“It is lovely to build that relationship with families, to support them and watch their baby grow. I can relate to what they are going through, and that helps create a real connection.”

For Dr Wardle, who began working at NUH in April 2001, Mickayla’s journey is unforgettable:

“I do remember that time, it was just a few months into my first consultant post. To now see a former patient come back and work alongside us is incredible. It has never happened before.”

“Neonatal care has evolved over the past two decades with a significantly increased number of babies surviving at 23 and 24 weeks, with some born at 22 weeks surviving.

“There are still many challenges, but outcomes have improved enormously due to advances in technology, equipment, and clinical knowledge. Seeing those positive results and moments like this reminds us why we do this work.”

Mickayla emphasises that neonatal care is about more than medical treatment:

“It is not just about the baby, it is also about the parents too. I always ask how they are doing. They are going through so much, and that emotional support really matters.”

Mickayla sees her role as bridging the gap between clinical care and family experience:

“Parents are the ones who take their babies home. Involving them, supporting them, and helping them feel confident is so important.”

Natasha, a mother with a baby currently receiving care from Mickayla, shared:

“It is wild to think that someone who was once in the same position as my daughter is now caring for her. You always wonder what the future holds and this gives you hope that they will go on to live a normal life like a full-term baby.”

For Dr Wardle, Mickayla’s return represents something even more special:

“We often see babies come back as children, but never as adults working alongside us. This is truly amazing.”