CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA (CVILLE RIGHT NOW) – Representatives from the Harrisonburg-based Nielsen Builders were on hand at the UVA Health Children’s Neonatal Intensive Care Unit to donate 98 teddy bears to the unit on Monday.

The bears will be given to parents and caregivers who have a baby in the NICU unit, particularly those who have lost their child. Fellow Physician Alexandrine Ratnani said the unit likes to give families something tangible when they are experiencing a loss, with members of the NICU team helping to decorate and personalize each bear.

In some cases, the unit is able to take an ultrasound of a baby’s heartbeat and use a recording device to capture it and place it inside the bear.

“A lot of families have expressed to us how grateful they are for this,” Ratnani said. “Even long after they’ve left the NICU, and we’ve had families even come back to do donations like this, which is amazing.”

Zachary Lokey, a resource manager at Nielsen, knows what it’s like to have a child in the NICU unit, as his youngest son Greyson spent time there after his birth. Greyson, now a bubbly three-year-old, was at the unit alongside his older brother and parents to help deliver Nielsen’s donation. Lokey said the family still has the bear they received, which also includes a recording of Greyson’s heartbeat.

“The meaning to us is strong,” he said. “So, we know it’s going to mean a lot to the families there, so we know it’s an everlasting type of gift and donation that can stand with families for a long, long time.”

Lokey said in his 10 years at Nielsen, he’s discovered the “community side of the company is a very big focal point for them.” As such, the company was able to gather up 98 bears thanks to support from its employees and their families and friends as well as  numerous other organizations.

“Packages were coming to the office building, to my house, to every which way, you just didn’t know,” he said. “But fortunately, we are blessed and we have a lot of support around the community and within our family.”

Lokey said they hope to make this an annual event and see if they can gather even more teddy bears in the future. Still, Ratnani said the 98 bears already donated with last the unit for years.

While it may seem small, Ratnani said these bears will have a huge impact on families and the NICU team itself.

“Not only does it benefit and provide support for a family,” she said, “it’s also therapy for us as a medical team. It’s one last final act of support and compassion we can provide for families.”