Julie (Byrne) Martin

Hayley (Byrne) Martin arrived 13 weeks early, weighing 1140 grams. She spent her first 109 days in the NICU at Crouse. For 56 days she needed a ventilator to breathe. For a shocked new mother never known for her patience, Hayley (and Crouse) taught me many life lessons… Success can be measured in the smallest of terms – cc’s and grams; wash your hands; life is fragile; patience… growing takes time; that she’s different is what that makes her unique; with the support of your friends and family ANYTHING in life is possible.

You said she would need to be a fighter. Now at nearly 21 years old, she is a force. An honor student, attending Christopher Newport University in southern Virginia. She is beautiful and considerate. She is persistent, hard-working and dedicated. She was a student of ballet and has had the opportunity to perform in professional productions. Now a student athlete and member of the CNU Storm Dance Team, she has competed in National Championships twice. She is the master at cramming 26 hours of activity into one 24-hour day. I hope you are as proud as I am.

And although you covered her beautiful face with that awful white tape and shaved her head in three places, you pushed us to be stronger and more courageous, willed her to grow and you loved and cared for her as much as we did. For this – thank you and congratulations on 40 years. Your efforts will never be in vein. ThankU, Crouse NICU!

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