Making a bad fashion statement can help Texas Children's NICU babies

HOUSTON (KTRK) -- If you've got a hideous pair of pants, you may be able to help the littlest patients in need. A local golf tournament is about to tee off and all proceeds will benefit NICU research, technologies, and a whole lot more.

Becca Schiff is one of the NICU nurses at Texas Children's.

"We have a NICU 4 unit, which is the highest level of care that a NICU can provide. Those include babies with heart defects, lung defects, genetic defects, and they come here because we can help save their lives," Schiff said.

She plays an instrumental role here at the hospital. But two years ago, she found herself on the other side of the NICU when her twins were born prematurely at just 24 weeks.

"I never thought I would be experiencing it on the other side as a family," Schiff explained.

Her babies stayed in the NICU for the first 6 months of their lives.

"They had multiple surgeries, brain bleeds, they saw a neurologist, infection control, cardiologist, pulmonologist. Every specialist that we have here took care of them. Through all that, they were able to come home and be happy and healthy," Schiff told us.

Just recently, NICU personnel -- along with former patients -- got together for their annual reunion.

Schiff said "once they've been discharged, we don't exactly know what happened to them if we don't stay connected to the family. So this is a way to celebrate all the great work that we have done and we get to see the children and families come back once a year and celebrate the wonderful outcome they had."

Members of the NICU are also gearing up for this year's Bad Pants Open golf tournament. Coming up in October, its mission is to help better the lives of Texas Children's tiniest patients.

"It's a group of amazing people who donate money to help families in the NICU as well as support education for nurses, and provide funding for research," Schiff said.

Those programs include hands-on care programs, groundbreaking technologies and much much more. It's open to public participation, but you have to register soon before it fills up.