WORCESTER, Mass. – This month marks a big anniversary for UMass Memorial’s Neonatal Intensive Care Unit as doctors, nurses and families will gather to celebrate 50 years.

Todd Bishop, one of the unit’s earliest success stories, is also celebrating 50 years. It’s by no means a rare milestone for someone to reach, but when your first days of life included being given your last rites, there’s plenty of reasons to celebrate.

“I’m incredibly grateful for that team back then that came together and did something new and different that was lifesaving for me and allowed me to live a life,” Bishop said.

Bishop was admitted into the brand new NICU nearly 50 years ago in September 1974. His mother, Becky Martella, remembers it as a "very tiny room" with only a few babies.

“Todd was born on a Friday and he left Worcester City Hospital as the first baby transferred to the new NICU,” Martella said. “Our nurse, I'll never forget, I can picture it like it was yesterday, she came in and picked Todd up, and I just thought she was an angel.”

Days into his life, Bishop was experiencing severe breathing issues and Martella said she wasn’t able to hold her son until roughly 10 days after he was born. Doctors and nurses were able to help stabilize him.

Over the years, Bishop and other former patients have gone back for reunions.

“Whenever I’ve gone to these, what’s always been striking to me is seeing how life goes on for people, right?” Bishop said. “People move on no matter what the illness is or what the treatment is, or what people have going on.”

UMass Memorial will hold a 50th anniversary party for the NICU on Sunday, Aug. 25 at the EcoTarium in Worcester. The event is free to the public and preregistration is required by Aug. 15.

“The NICU has meant everything to our community and to us personally,” Martella said. “My son wouldn’t have survived without them. I get a lot of joy out of seeing the children at these anniversaries and how they’ve flourished.”

At the reunion, there are sure to be plenty of other former patients like Bishop showing up to thank the doctors and nurses who saved their lives.

As longtime NICU nurse Maxine Schmidt said, her staff is often reminded of the impact they have on families, regardless of whether there’s an anniversary celebration happening.

“The parents never forget,” Schmidt said. “I was at a function once and these parents came up to me and said, ‘Oh my God, you gave our baby her first bath 27 years ago.’ They still remembered me, even though I hadn't seen them for 27 years. It’s pretty rewarding.”

And although Bishop may not remember the care he received all those years ago, the experience gives him a deeper level of gratitude for everyone in the health care profession.

“I’m incredibly thankful to the folks doing that role today,” Bishop said. “Nurses, doctors, you know, health care is not easy and it’s certainly not getting any easier for these folks on the front-lines, so incredibly thankful not just for them, but all along the way as well.”