MEMPHIS, Tenn. — A former Baptist preemie has found a way to give back to the hospital that saved his life more than 20 years ago.
All grown up, Matt Swatley is now a registered nurse at the hospital’s new children’s ER.
Matt and his twin brother Jake were born a month premature at Baptist Women’s Hospital with under-developed lungs.
Matt suffered serious complications and doctors thought he might not survive.
He spent weeks in the hospital in the neonatal intensive care unit and had to be put on a jet ventilator, which was a new device at the time.
“When they said I was leaving the hospital, they said prepare for Matt to be in a wheel chair, on a breathing machine and on a feeding tube.”
Matt did suffer some hearing loss from the noise of the ventilator but otherwise made a full recovery.
He later volunteered at Baptist Memorial Women’s Hospital and said it was his calling not only to work in medicine as an RN, but to work at the same hospital.
As a student nurse, he even worked in the NICU with the same nurses and doctor who helped him so many years ago.
“The inspiration that comes from nursing, is how all the nurses and Dr. Sanders, how they fought so hard to save my life. Now, it’s awesome that I’m here. I’m able to do to do that with every kid that walks through this door,” Matt said.
Neonatologist Dr. Craig Sander kept in touch with Matt and Jake over the years, and he can still recall the difficult case.
“I like to think I’m not that old yet, but it’s a terrific feeling that you got someone now able to help others in healthcare, and do it very well,” Sander said.
Matt and Jake’s picture now hangs in the hospital’s ‘Gallery of Hope,’ along with the pictures of dozens more children who spent time in the NICU and survived.
The picture gallery is designed to encourage parents who have children in the intensive care unit right now.