From NICU to Knight-a-Thon: A family’s story, a campus mission
In 2008, Lily Teitsma (left) watched her mom Jillisa Teitsma (right) attend to her little brother Arie who needed extra care at Helen DeVos Children's hospital (HDVCH) after being born with a hole in his lung. Eighteen years later, Lily is co-organizing a fundraiser at Calvin University to support HDVCH.
On April 11, Calvin’s student-led Knight-a-Thon organization will host Olympics: Go for Gold—for Every Child. The fundraiser benefits Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital (HDVCH) which supports more than 229,000 pediatric patient visits each year.
Lily Teitsma ’27, a junior at Calvin University, is one of the organizers of the Knight-a-Thon Olympics. As a pre-med student, it’s not surprising she would be interested in the event, which aims to raise $20,000 this year. But her motivation runs far deeper and traces back to 2008, when she was just four years old.
A formative few days
After what seemed to be a normal labor and delivery experience for her mother, Jillisa, a HDVCH nurse noticed that Arie’s—Lily’s baby brother—oxygen levels were dipping. He was taken away for testing.
“It was shocking to me. I had barely held him, and they took him away,” said Jillisa Teitsma, director of finance at Calvin University.
“My younger brother Arie was born with a pneumothorax—a hole in his lung,” said Lily.
So, after spending a couple of days in the hospital, Jillisa went home without Arie.
“It was really difficult leaving him,” said Jillisa. “When you leave the hospital, you expect to take your baby home with you.”
Experiencing 24/7 care
Over the next few days, Jillisa and Lily experienced the care and support of HDVCH firsthand.
“The nights at home without Arie were especially hard. I’d get up every three hours to pump breast milk so that I could be ready when he came home,” said Jillisa. “When I got up, I’d call at least once a night to talk with the nurse and see how he was doing.”
Not only were the nurses welcoming of the regular calls, Jillisa said, they encouraged them.
“Those middle-of-the-night phone calls to the nurses, where I could talk to someone who was directly caring for Arie overnight, were tangible moments that meant so much to me,” she said.
Arie spent only a few more days in the hospital before making a full recovery. Today, he is a high school student and plays football and lacrosse and has had no further lung issues.
Paying it forward
Those days in the hospital, however, have stayed with the Teitsma family and inspired them to continue advocating for the work of HDVCH.
“To many young kids, a hospital visit, especially in intense areas such as the NICU can bring about anxiety and fear. However, my memories of that time in the hospital are pleasant,” said Lily. “I know firsthand the importance of the work Helen DeVos provides for our community.”
Now Teitsma and Knight-a-Thon co-organizer Sydney Koning are paying it forward by hosting the Olympic-themed event from 5-10 p.m. on April 11 in the Hoogenboom Health and Recreation Center gym.
The energy-packed event will include Olympic-style competitions, bracket challenges, free food, and music. All funds raised will help sustain programs such as Child & Family Life, NICU family support, art therapy, and cancer care—services not fully covered by insurance.