Santa Claus visits babies in Columbia NICU

By Brian Hauswirth
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Despite his busy schedule around the globe, Santa Claus took time before Christmas to visit dozens of babies in MU Health Care’s Children’s hospital neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) in Columbia.

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Santa Claus visits babies earlier this week in MU Health Care’s new Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at the MU Children’s Hospital in Columbia (December 23, 2024 photo courtesy of MU Health Care’s Rochita Ghosh)

Santa Claus arrived in Columbia from the North Pole, visiting the tiny patients and bringing them Christmas and holiday cheer. Some infants slept in stockings, and MU Health Care notes the children were dressed in festive clothing.

This is the first Christmas holiday season in MU Health Care’s new NICU. It’s part of the new $232-million Children’s Hospital that opened in June.