High-Tech Care for Preemies

ST. PETERSBURG - Inside St. Petersburg's all children's hospital, the smallest babies are tethered to the highest-tech care you can find.

But it is often the old-fashioned TLC that can make all the difference in the world.

Take for example little Corey Dixon. He was barely two pounds when he was born in October.

"He's eating for the first time. He's gaining weight. Getting bigger. He's doing a lot better than he was," said his Mom Marchelle Dixon. "He's a little fighter."

Corey Dixon is being cared for in All Children's neo-natal intensive care unit. For all the technical life support that is in the unit, there's often no better remedy for the babies than a tender hug and a soothing voice.

"Babies who have visitors, who have someone talking to them, stroking them, holding their binkies, did a lot better. They began to thrive," said volunteer Nancy Shannon.

Nancy should know. She's logged more than 2200 volunteer hours over the course of 24 years.

"You see some very sad cases and then you see the babies that get well, and I'll meet them later at a grocery store or at the mall, see their mommies and they're doing fine," Nancy said.

Volunteers like Nancy fill a vital role, filling in for parents who can't be there 24/7.

Nancy's own grandson was born prematurely in 1986. He's now a healthy, and successful school teacher.

And not only is little Corey Dixon uplifted as he's cradled in Nancy's arms, so is his mom.

"You never know what's going on until you actually talk to somebody who's been through it. That actually helps you with comforting you," Marshelle said.

It ends up being a mutually beneficial experience for all.

"There's just a very good feeling for being with these babies," Nancy said.