When Jayme and Josh Hazen first learned they were expecting, they imagined the usual joys of parenthood — first steps, first words, school days filled with laughter. But at 26 weeks into Jayme’s pregnancy, their world turned upside down. An ultrasound revealed swelling around their baby’s skull. By 29 weeks, the baby had developed multiple brain bleeds. Doctors warned the Hazens that their son might not survive childbirth.

At just 34 weeks, Jayme went into labor at her local hospital. Waiting nearby was the AirCare team, ready to transport her fragile baby to University of Iowa Stead Family Children’s Hospital. Before the helicopter lifted off, the team wheeled the tiny newborn into Jayme’s room so she could whisper what she feared might be her first and last words to him:“I love you.”

That moment, Jayme says, carried her through the terror of not knowing if she’d see her son alive again.

Fighting With Lukas

The Hazens met with neonatologist Dr. John Dagle soon after Jayme was discharged and made it to Iowa City. He asked them what they wanted for their son. Their answer was simple but profound:“If Lukas is still fighting, we want the NICU team to fight with him.” From that moment forward, Lukas’ story became one of resilience.

Born weighing just over five pounds, Lukas was diagnosed withneonatal alloimmune thrombocytopenia — a rare genetic condition where the mother’s antibodies attack the baby’s platelets, causing dangerously low counts and internal bleeding. The next day, he required a double transfusion of blood and platelets, along with light therapy for jaundice.

Lukas survived those first fragile weeks, and five weeks later, he went home. But his journey was only beginning.

A Childhood of Challenges

Over the years, Lukas has faced more diagnoses than most adults will in a lifetime. Cerebral palsy affects his movement. Cortical visual impairment limits how his brain processes sight. Catastrophic seizures — devastating spasms that can damage a child’s development — became part of his life. He has endured hip reconstructions, and just last year, spinal fusion surgery to correct scoliosis.

His parents describe the heartbreak of watching him wheeled into operating rooms again and again. “It’s the hardest thing in the world,” Josh admits. But through every challenge, the Hazens have leaned on their care team. “They include you in decision-making,” Jayme says. “You don’t feel like a patient number. You feel like family.”

That sense of family once became literal. When their daughter Raylee was born at the same hospital and admitted to the NICU, Lukas — then only three years old — suffered a seizure and was airlifted to the pediatric intensive care unit. Overwhelmed, Jayme wept, unsure how to split herself between her newborn and her critically ill son. A NICU nurse sat her down and gently said:

“We’ve got Raylee. You go to Lukas.” It was an act of compassion she has never forgotten.

Twelve Years of Love

Today, Lukas is 12 years old and in sixth grade in Muscatine, Iowa. He uses a wheelchair and assistive devices to communicate. Mostly nonverbal, he has said “mom,” and twice — to his parents’ everlasting joy — he has said“I love you.”

Despite his challenges, Lukas thrives. He loves swimming, music, art, and the company of friends. “He’s probably the most popular kid in his class,” Josh says with pride. His classmates are drawn to him, his joy shining brighter than any limitation.

“He’s made us better people,” Jayme adds softly. “He makes the world a better place.”

The Hazens once prayed for 12 minutes with their son. Instead, thanks to the care at Stead Family Children’s Hospital, they have been given 12 years — and counting.

“We owe everything to this hospital,” Jayme says. “They continue to be there when we have questions, and I can’t speak highly enough about them. We prayed for minutes, but God gave us years. And every one of those years has been a gift.”