“It’s a great opportunity to celebrate not only our journey, but to help support other families too," Kristian, one of the twins, said
Credit: KVIA ABC-7/YouTube
NEED TO KNOW
- Twin sisters Krystal and Kristian Huizar were inspired to become NICU nurses after their own premature births
- The sisters work at Las Palmas Medical Center supporting families and sharing their story to give parents hope
- Working together in the NICU has strengthened their bond and allowed them to celebrate their journey from patients to nurses
Twins who were born prematurely are now giving back to their community as nurses in the neonatal intensive care unit.
Krystal and Kristian Huizar were born at 32 weeks following their mother's complicated labor and delivery journey. The twin sisters spent their first two months in the NICU, noting that their mom was there by their side every step of the way.
“She said that she would be there every day, spend the night there, do everything,” Krystal recalled during an interview with local ABC affiliate KVIA.
As they grew up, the twins often heard stories about the wonderful nurses and medical staff who supported them and their family during one of the most challenging times in their lives. The experience inspired both of the sisters to pursue a career in nursing.
“I wanted to be able to do the same with the parents and the babies,” Krystal said.
Now, Krystal and Kristian work together at Las Palmas Medical Center in El Paso, Texas, connecting with other worried NICU parents. The twins told the outlet that their own experience as NICU babies helped them "relate more" to the families.
“We can relate more to the parents because we know what our family went through,” Krystal shared. “The fact that we're there, we can support them like the nurses and providers supported us.”
In agreement with her sister, Kristian said the parents often feel encouraged after seeing her and her sister, noting their stories give them "hope" for their little ones.
“We remind them that we were in the NICU as well, and now we're nurses,” she said. “That gives them hope.”
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Krystal and Kristian also bring some laughter and joy to the NICU. Since one sister works during the day and the other works during the night, some of the parents in the hospital often confuse them.
“They're like, ‘Were you here this morning?' " Kristian recalled. “I'm like, ‘No, I just started my shift.' "
While the hours and the workload can oftentimes be demanding, both Krystal and Kristian have found many bright spots during their journey together. The sisters said working together has strengthened their overall tight-knit bond and allowed them the opportunity to celebrate their own journey from the NICU.
“It created a bond that made our relationship stronger,” Kristian said. “It's a great opportunity to celebrate not only our journey, but to help support other families too.”
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