Event
Reading It's a NICU World to Kolin's kindergarten class.
Ashley
Ashley O’Neil, CRNP, is a nurse practitioner, writer, and speaker whose advocacy is rooted in lived experience. As a NICU/preemie mother, a widow, and a bereaved parent, Ashley brings a deeply personal perspective to maternal and neonatal health. With over a decade in nursing and five years as a family nurse practitioner, she now uses her voice to elevate the needs of NICU families, offering practical resources, compassionate support, and hope. She is the author of It’s a NICU World, a children’s book, and It’s a NICU World: Your Guide During Your Baby’s NICU Stay, a resource designed to support and empower NICU parents. Ashley also hosts the Ask a NICU Mama podcast, where she candidly explores the emotional and medical complexities of life in and after the NICU. Through her work, Ashley is committed to ensuring families feel seen, supported, and empowered, even in their most vulnerable moments. She is a proud member of Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc.
Kolin
Kolin is a former 25 weeker who lives life on his own terms. Although he has cerebral palsy, shunted hydrocephalus, and a feeding tube, he doesn’t let those diagnoses keep him from experiencing life. He loves to read, spell words, count, laugh, swing, and play tricks on people. He has the best laugh! The kind of laugh that heals broken hearts. He loves school and riding the bus. Though he is currently non-verbal, he communicates his wants and needs loud and clear and always with personality. Kolin is an absolute joy.
You can follow Kolin's journey on Instagram @Itsanicuworld.
