The Incubator #363 - A Mother, A Nurse, and a Baby Named Caleb – The Human Side of Neonatal Care
In this episode, Ben and Daphna sit down with Cassie Carrigan and Sacha Force to share the story of Cassie’s son, Caleb, and the lessons his short life continues to teach. Cassie, a mother, mental health therapist, and NICU parent, walks us through Caleb’s complex diagnostic journey, multiple surgeries, and ultimately the genetic condition that explained his struggles. She reflects candidly on the emotional toll of repeated bad news, the challenge of decision-making in crisis, and the importance of partnership between parents and medical teams.
Alongside her, Sacha—Caleb’s NICU nurse and now a clinical educator—offers her perspective on building trust with families, balancing medical expertise with empathy, and carrying Caleb’s legacy forward in her teaching of new nurses. Together, Cassie and Sacha describe how their bond has grown into an ongoing collaboration, bringing parents’ voices directly into staff training and helping future NICU teams understand the lasting impact of compassionate care.
This conversation highlights the reality of navigating grief, the role of faith and resilience, and the importance of remembering that every baby—and every family—shapes the professionals who care for them
As always, feel free to send us questions, comments, or suggestions to our email: nicupodcast@gmail.com. You can also contact the show through Instagram or Twitter, @nicupodcast. Or contact Ben and Daphna directly via their Twitter profiles: @drnicu and @doctordaphnamd. The papers discussed in today's episode are listed and timestamped on the webpage linked below.
Enjoy!