From left: Renata Zelenchuk and her triplets — Isabella, Gabriella and David — return to the Brigham NICU for the first time since their discharge over 18 years ago.

When Renata Zelenchuk, BSN, RN, learned she was pregnant with triplets in 2005, she knew it would be a high-risk pregnancy. What she didn’t expect, however, was to have that fact become the focus of every prenatal appointment.

“Whenever I went to see my OB-GYN, he always talked about all the bad outcomes that could occur,” she remembered. “Every time I left the doctor’s office, I was crying.”

During her pregnancy, she found a local group for mothers of triplets and talked about her experiences. Several members urged her to transfer her care to the Brigham and see David Acker, MD, the then-chief of Obstetrics and a leading expert in caring for families expecting twins, triplets and multiples.

“I remember my first appointment with Dr. Acker. He told me, ‘Our focus is on a healthy pregnancy and three healthy babies,’” Zelenchuk said. “From that moment, I knew I was going to deliver three healthy babies. I trusted my medical team.”

That trust was well-placed. The compassionate and expert care she experienced throughout the rest of her pregnancy carried over into the birth of her triplets — David, Gabriella and Isabella — after an elective C-section at 32 weeks due to growth restriction in one of the babies.

The triplets were healthy, but due to their premature arrival and low birth weights, they were immediately transported to the Brigham’s Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) for additional support and close monitoring.

The eldest, Gabriella — who weighed 3 pounds, 4 ounces at birth — was discharged soonest, after four weeks. David, who was 3 pounds, 12 ounces, was cared for in the NICU for six weeks. And Isabella — the smallest, weighing just 2 pounds, 4 ounces — was there for seven weeks after experiencing some complications.

More than 18 years have passed since then, and a lot has changed. Zelenchuk is now an apheresis nurse in the Division of Transfusion Medicine and at the Kraft Family Blood Donor Center. And, most notably, the triplets are all grown up: They are on the brink of graduating from high school and heading off to college. All three plan to pursue careers in the medical field, inspired by their mother’s commitment to caring for others.

In all these years, however, one detail of their lives hasn’t changed: the gratitude the Zelenchuk family feels for the extraordinary care they received at the Brigham.

“It’s been over 18 years, but that time is still fresh in my mind,” Zelenchuk said. “All of the nurses, doctors, respiratory therapists — everyone took such great care of my babies. I will never forget it, and I’m very, very grateful for it.”

To mark their most recent milestone, the family recently returned to the NICU for a reunion, where they toured the unit, thanked staff for their contributions and spoke about their plans for the future.

“This experience meant a lot to me,” David said. “It was incredible to see where I was born, where all those baby stories my mom would tell me happened, and finally put a face to the names of the nurses who took care of me, made sure I received the best care, while simultaneously taking great care of my mother. This reunion is an event I will forever treasure.”

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During their visit, the triplets also had an opportunity to reconnect with their primary nurse, Jennifer Kirby-Cencarik, BSN, RN, who has continued to stay in touch with the family after caring for the triplets 18 years ago.

“I had butterflies in my stomach before they arrived. I’m so used to handling babies and not having actual conversations with my patients, but then I met them again and they were so engaging, kind and intelligent,” Kirby-Cencarik said. “When I went back to work after their visit, I felt like a proud primary nurse. I was just so proud of them.”

Despite having cared for hundreds of babies and families over her nearly 20 years as a Brigham NICU nurse, Kirby-Cencarik said she remembers each and every one.

“Each family touches me in a different way. The relationships we develop leave an impact,” she said. “I always tell families, ‘I’m never going to forget you.’ They’re not just a number here. They’re someone important to me.”

Zelenchuk remembered how Kirby-Cencarik and other NICU nurses, whose main charge was caring for her babies, also cared for her as a mom.

“I was still healing from my C-section. Every time I had to stand up, the nurses would hold me and help me. It was such a nice, supportive atmosphere. They always talked to me, reassured me and even helped me make a scrapbook, which I still have,” Zelenchuk remembered. “I want to say a special thank you to the wonderful NICU nurses. They take care not only of the most vulnerable and tiniest patients but also their parents. Being a parent of premature babies is a very frightening and emotional journey, so I want to thank them for providing a compassionate hand and a warm hug when we needed it the most.”

‘Just keep looking forward’

The triplets have grown and thrived since the short-lived uncertainty of their earliest days. This fall, David will attend Rochester Institute of Technology to study biomedical engineering, with aspirations to apply to dental school. Gabriella was accepted into Northeastern University and plans to become a physician assistant. Isabella will start the fall at The George Washington University on a pre-med track.

NICU nurse Jennifer Kirby-Cencarik (far left), who cared for the triplets while they were in the unit, says she was overjoyed to reunite with the family.

“They not only have achieved so much academically, but they are also very humble and care about others,” their mother said. “They are just really good human beings. For me, that’s the most important thing. As a mom, I’m really proud of them and will always be by their side, no matter what.”

From the perspective of her children, they had an outstanding role model to follow.

“My mom is incredibly hardworking, and she puts immense passion into everything she does. She strives to help others achieve their best, fighting for anyone,” Isabella said. “I’m proud of the fact that not only does she deeply care for her family, but she also cares for and forms positive connections with her patients and even strangers on the street. I’m also inspired by her ability to keep on going, pushing through even the most difficult of times and staying motivated.”

Zelenchuk drew on that resilience throughout her pregnancy and encouraged other families of multiples to “just keep looking forward.”

“The first doctor told me the outcome could be really bad, in terms of long-term medical needs, but I had a different result. They are graduating high school with honors, speak four languages, play on sports teams and do many after-school activities,” she said. “Being a preemie does not mean you cannot achieve or grow up to be a healthy kid.”

It’s a message that resonated with her eldest triplet, Gabriella, who reassured current NICU families that the love and support they provide their babies make an immeasurable difference in their lives.

“At the moment, the families in the NICU may feel stressed out and anxious, but they should know that everyone, including the hospital staff and themselves, are doing the best they can,” she said. “The scariest moments in life always feel like they last forever, but once they are over, you know that the happiest ones are about to begin.”