A Texas City family is marking two milestones this fall after a journey that began with their daughter arriving far earlier than expected.
Annistyn Renken was born at just 22.2 weeks gestation, weighing 14.6 ounces, and spent 260 days in the Level IV NICU at The Woman’s Hospital of Texas. Now, Annistyn has reached a new milestone: the Texas City 2-year-old recently started PreK3.
Her journey also inspired a new path for her mom, Kelsey. After spending months alongside the neonatal team caring for her daughter, Kelsey is now in nursing school with the goal of becoming a NICU nurse herself, hoping to eventually support families experiencing a journey she understands personally.
Their story comes as NICU Awareness Month begins in September and The Woman’s Hospital of Texas expands its specialized Small Baby Unit to care for eligible infants born as early as 21 weeks and 5 days gestation.
Kelsey and Annistyn are available for interviews, along with neonatologist. We also have photos documenting Annistyn’s NICU journey and current photos following her start of PreK3, offering a compelling then-and-now look at this Texas City family’s journey.
