Dijon L. celebrated her son’s first birthday on December 7, a milestone that feels especially meaningful as the holiday season approaches. The holidays this year will be a time to reflect on the expertise and dedication that made her son’s first year possible.
For Dijon, the early hours of a December morning in 2024 were filled with fear and uncertainty. At 37 weeks pregnant, she noticed a sudden decrease in fetal movement, a warning sign no expectant mother wants to experience. Trusting her instincts, Dijon rushed to UPMC Magee-Womens at UPMC Hanover, where quick action by the care team would ultimately save her baby’s life.
Within minutes of arriving, clinicians confirmed what Dijon suspected, her baby was in distress. The team immediately prepared for an emergency C-section, prioritizing both mother and child’s safety. Thanks to their swift response and expertise, Dijon delivered her son safely. But the journey wasn’t over yet.
“The UPMC Magee-Womens teams at UPMC Hanover and UPMC Memorial gave us the best possible care,” Dijon said. “Their constant communication and compassionate support made an incredibly stressful experience feel manageable. It was comforting.”
For Dijon, what stands out most is not just clinical excellence but the human touch. Nurses and physicians kept her informed at every step, answering questions and offering reassurance when anxiety ran high. That compassion extended beyond the operating room, shaping an experience she now describes as “extraordinary.”
“They treated us like family,” she said. “I never felt alone, even in the scariest moments.”
Dijon is no stranger to community connections. As the founder of the Hanover Moms Facebook group, which boasts more than 13,000 members, she often shares resources and advice with local parents. Her story is now a beacon of hope and reassurance for families across the region, underscoring the importance of timely care and coordinated teamwork.
The family is looking forward to marking their son’s first birthday with a joyful celebration surrounded by loved ones, a milestone that feels especially meaningful after such a challenging start.
“The collaboration between UPMC Hanover and UPMC Memorial shows the strength of integrated care,” said Amy Hursh, unit director, UPMC Magee-Womens in Hanover. “From rapid communication to a seamless NICU transfer, every step prioritized patient safety and continuity. This coordination ensures families receive expert care close to home during critical moments.”
UPMC Magee-Womens Hospital continues to lead in neonatal care by emphasizing family-centered support for families navigating the challenges of the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). With advanced medical technologies and a multidisciplinary team of specialists, the NICU is designed to provide critical care for the region’s most vulnerable newborns.
U.S. News & World Report, the global authority in hospital rankings and consumer advice named UPMC Magee-Womens at UPMC Hanover and UPMC Memorial as 2025 High Performing hospitals for Maternity Care. This is the highest award a hospital can earn as part of U.S. News’ Best Hospitals for Maternity Care annual study.
In 2024, more than 6,000 babies were delivered at UPMC Magee-Womens in central Pennsylvania, while the NICU units treated close to 600 severely or critically ill babies. UPMC Magee-Womens provides the state’s largest network of top-rated maternity care. Across the hospitals with obstetric services, UPMC delivers close to 25,000 babies each year. For more information about UPMC Magee-Womens services in central Pennsylvania, visit UPMC.com/CentralPaWomen.
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