Celebrating excellence: Lauren Brown, AdventHealth Shawnee Mission

Lauren Brown doesn’t wear a cape. But if you ask the families who’ve had experience with the NICU at AdventHealth Shawnee Mission, she might as well wear one.

Brown is one of the many brave clinical warriors in the NICU who not only witness the late-night tears but also console worried parents and celebrate the quiet milestones that don’t always make it to social media.

“What inspires me every day are these tiny little fighters that I get to take care of,” Brown said. “It’s such an honor to see firsthand how strong these babies and families are and walk alongside them in their journey.”

For Brown, the best day is discharge day, also known in the NICU as graduation day.

“There's just nothing like giving them big hugs before they leave to go home and start their lives, officially! We make tiny graduation hats and diplomas, and it’s made even sweeter when families celebrate and cheer alongside our NICU staff.”

Brown received the 2024 Community Service Award for AdventHealth Shawnee Mission, a recognition of her deep commitment to families both inside and beyond the NICU. Among her many contributions, she plays a key role in the annual NICU Reunion, a celebration that brings former patients and their families back to reconnect and honor their journey.

“It’s my favorite day of the year,” Brown said. “These families mean so much to us. Getting to see them again, give hugs, celebrate how much the graduates have grown is incredibly special.”

That connection runs deeper than most people may know. Brown was born at AdventHealth Shawnee Mission and was once a patient in the very NICU where she has worked for more than a decade. As a nursing student, she completed her capstone in the unit. Since then, she has spent 11 of the last 12 years walking alongside its tiny titans and the team she calls family.

In 2020, she left Kansas City for Colorado in search of a new adventure. But one year later, she returned with clarity about what mattered most.

“I realized that Kansas City was where I wanted to take root, that being close to my friends and family was crucial,” she said. “And I couldn’t wait to be back amongst this incredible team, who are more like family.”

Her return was not just for professional reasons; it was a personal decision.

“The support we give each other on this unit is unmatched,” Brown said. “There’s deep trust and friendship. You don’t even have to ask, someone just steps in when you need it.”

Not only does the NICU team show up for each other in the unit but also after shifts for their rucking crew.

“That kind of bond makes you not just a better nurse but a better friend, a better daughter, a better person.”

Lauren Brown doesn’t do the work for recognition. She does it because it’s personal. She’s been there, literally, as a patient herself. The team, the families and AdventHealth’s mission of extending the healing ministry of Christ matter to her. Every time Brown walks into the NICU, she brings not just skill, but heart; the kind of heart our team members celebrate, our NICU families are thankful for, and the kind that leaves lasting impressions on our most precious patients well beyond graduation day.