After Tragic Loss, Family Donates NICU Cameras to Baystate Children’s Hospital

SPRINGFIELD — Todd and Barbara Bard of Agawam lost their daughter, Evan, last year to a drunk-driving crash. Evan was a nursing student at Curry College, and was studying to become a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) nurse.

To honor Evan’s memory, the Bards are working to help the families of NICU babies in Western Mass. and across New England. The EvvGirl Foundation, which they established, funds the purchase of new technology that is making the experience of being a NICU parent easier for many families.

The EvvGirl Foundation has purchased six NicView cameras for Baystate Children’s Hospital, part of a webcam system that offers parents a secure view of their NICU baby that they can access remotely when they can’t physically be at the hospital. Since many newborns’ stays in the NICU can last for weeks or more, the cameras allow the parents to attend to other important parts of their lives while keeping a loving eye on their baby via their laptop, tablet, smartphone, or desktop computer.

The Bards are hoping to provide the cameras for every NICU in the state and, eventually, every such unit in New England.