Born at 25 Weeks, Thriving at Five: Ella Toro’s Remarkable NICU Journey

Born at just 25 weeks and weighing only one pound, 10 ounces, Ella Toro faced enormous challenges from her first moments of life. After 187 days in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), cared for by the team at Pediatrix® Neonatology of Florida at HCA Florida University Hospital in Davie, the former micropreemie is now celebrating her fifth birthday as a thriving little girl.

A Fragile Beginning

Ella's mother, Megan, was diagnosed with severe preeclampsia and acute pulmonary edema and admitted to HCA Florida Lawnwood Hospital. With her condition rapidly worsening, Ella had to be delivered immediately on October 27, 2021.

After birth, Ella received continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) and was later intubated. A week later, she developed necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC), a severe, life-threatening intestinal disease. She was transported to Plantation General Hospital – now HCA Florida University Hospital – for a higher level of care.

"She was one of these babies that falls into this category of extreme prematurity and who had, unfortunately, complications of prematurity," said Benjamin Courchia, M.D., neonatologist. "She was quite sick, and we were very worried about what the outcomes were going to be."
Ella underwent exploratory surgery so doctors could assess the intestinal damage caused by NEC. Her family was told she might leave surgery with an ostomy bag. Fortunately, the surgical team was able to repair the damage without one.

"I'll never forget that the first three months everyone was just preparing us for the worst because Ella was so sick," said Megan. "They were preparing us that babies like Ella don't make it. We thought we were going to lose her, so we had a keepsake of her footprints and handprints done."

Still, Ella continued to fight. She endured a grade 4 brain bleed that miraculously resolved on its own and chronic lung disease that required three months on a ventilator while her extremely premature lungs grew stronger.

"It was a wild ride for six months," said Megan.

Amid those medical challenges, Ella would face another major hurdle: a second transport, this time to a brand-new hospital and NICU.

First to Make the Move

Soon after Ella arrived at Plantation General Hospital, plans were underway to relocate its patients and services to the newly built HCA Florida University Hospital. For Ella, that meant another carefully coordinated ambulance ride while she was still critically ill.

"We hold Ella in a special place in our heart because over the course of her hospitalization, our hospital closed and we moved to a brand-new facility," said Dr. Courchia. "This is one of those things that is known in the field of medicine and in neonatology as well as the most difficult thing you will ever do, which is move patients from one hospital to the next. We strategized for that move for months, but when the time came to do it, the real question was, who are the patients who are going to move first?"

The hospital determined that the babies should be transported first. The next decision was which baby would lead the move. The team chose its sickest patient so her care could be organized as early as possible, when every resource was ready. That patient was Ella.

The move began early in the morning so every transfer could be completed within the day. After caring for Ella overnight, Dr. Courchia accompanied her in the ambulance from the former hospital to the new facility. Getting Ella safely settled was the final act of his 24-hour shift; from there, the rest of the care team carried the work forward.

Throughout Ella's hospitalization, the hospital's family-centered care model kept her loved ones close. Her mother, father and aunt were frequently at her bedside, providing another vital source of support.

"When parents are available and they're able to come to the bedside and spend time with their baby, their babies do better," explained Dr. Courchia.

A Beacon of Hope

Looking back, Dr. Courchia reflects on the lasting inspiration Ella has provided to the team that cared for her.

"You want the first patient in the hospital to be a symbol of success," he said. "Ella is the patient that we probably would not have chosen to be transported first because she was one of our sickest patients with the most risk. But I think that's why we love her so much, because she beat the odds and did so well that we felt like when we saw her thriving, she was the blessing of our hospital and set the momentum for us for good outcomes for the rest of the patients that followed after her."

Megan shares that same affection for Ella's care team.

"The doctors, nurses and therapists – they're our family," she said. "They took care of her when we couldn't be there – when they were transporting her, it was so scary for me, but once we were there, I wouldn't want Ella anywhere else besides there with them. We are eternally grateful for what they have done for our family. They kept Ella alive with their knowledge and expertise. She's a true miracle."

Dr. Courchia echoes, "She is very much a miracle, that is not an understatement."

Today, Ella is five and thriving. She started prekindergarten in August, can count to 30 and knows her colors, shapes and the alphabet.
"I love bringing Ella back to the NICU to show other families she was a micropreemie on the brink of death and she made it," said Megan. "There is hope."

Babies born as early as Ella often spend months with their NICU care teams, creating bonds that endure long after discharge. The clinicians remember their names, their journeys and the obstacles they overcame.

"She showed our team that despite early setbacks, recovery is possible, and not just recovery but really thriving," said Dr. Courchia. "This is a patient that we still talk about. She is a beacon of hope because she informs us on how we counsel other families – we say recovery is possible because we have seen it."

Five years after her extraordinary start, Ella's story remains a powerful reminder of what can happen when specialized care, family presence and remarkable resilience come together.

Learn more about our neonatology services or find care in your area.