Grateful first-time mom thanks labor and delivery nurses in a big way.At UAB St. Vincent’s, the connections formed in the birth suites go far beyond routine medical care — they are often the start of lasting bonds built in the most vulnerable, emotional moments of life. That is what happened when Sara Abney gave birth to her first child, Alaina. The compassion and care Abney received from her labor and delivery nurses, Grace Vero and Taylor Copenhagen, left such a deep impression that her family found a unique way to say thank you: They put up a billboard.
Abney entered the hospital with the hopes of an unmedicated delivery. Like many first-time moms, she was nervous but excited, leaning on her faith and support system. When signs of distress appeared in baby Alaina’s heart rate, the care team quickly shifted plans, moving to an emergency C-section.
“We try to really explain and over-prepare moms for possible outcomes during labor,” Vero said. “When surprising things happen, it can be overwhelming, so we work to communicate as best we can to help some of that anxiety.”
What could have been an overwhelming experience became one of peace and reassurance — thanks largely to the calm, attentive support from Vero and Copenhagen.
“They didn’t just do their jobs,” Abney said. “They were present. They talked to me, they calmed me, they prepared me. And they came to check on Alaina and me even after their shifts — after I wasn’t even their patient anymore.”
Alaina spent two days in the NICU, and even then, the nurses’ care and compassion did not stop. Grace happened to be nearby when Alaina had a drop in oxygen and rushed in to help the NICU team. Both she and Taylor made a point to keep checking in, embodying the spirit of what Abney describes as “compassion beyond the call of duty.”
Wanting to say thank you in a special way, Abney’s mother and sister, who work for Lamar Advertising, suggested something bold: a billboard right outside the hospital. “At first, I thought, ‘I need to make sure they’re OK with that!’” Abney said. “But we really wanted to share a heartfelt thank-you to the nurses who helped bring Alaina safely into the world.”
The billboard went up during Nurses Week, a fitting tribute to the heart behind the profession. It featured a photo of Grace and Taylor holding baby Alaina and read, “Thank you, Grace and Taylor! Your kindness, compassion and care made all the difference.”
Even Vero and Copenhagen were surprised. “We thought her husband was joking when he mentioned it,” Taylor said. “Then the next day, there it was — right outside the hospital. We were blown away.”
“I truly see being a nurse as the biggest honor ever,” Vero said. “We see these deliveries every single day, and it becomes a normal for us; but I try to remind myself that this is the most special day of someone’s life and put myself in their shoes and approach every birth like it’s the very first one. It’s such an honor."
Abney is quick to deflect the spotlight. “We’re just so grateful — to them, to the doctors and to the Lord—for a healthy baby, a healthy mom and a story we’ll never forget.”