The first anniversary of the OnCue NICU at Stillwater Medical marked a powerful milestone for families, providers, and the broader community—one defined by growth, partnership, and personal impact.
On April 1, Stillwater Medical hosted a graduation celebration for families who received NICU care during the past year. Michal Shaw, vice president of foundation and community outreach at Stillwater Medical, reflected on the unit’s impact, noting that more than 100 infants and families were supported in 2025 alone. The moment also served to recognize key partners and donors, including BancFirst and OnCue, whose contributions helped bring the NICU to life and sustain its mission.
The OnCue NICU is a partnership between Stillwater Medical and Oklahoma Children’s Hospital OU Health. It is the only one of its kind in the area, providing Level II NICU services, a dedicated neonatologist and 24-hour neonatal nurse practitioner coverage. The facility ensures that premature and at-risk newborns receive immediate, specialized attention without the stress of long-distance transfers.
Dr. Arlen Foulks, a board-certified neonatologist at Oklahoma Children’s OU Health, offered a clinical perspective, grounding the celebration in the realities faced by the unit’s smallest patients and their families.
“Where care happens — matters,” Dr. Foulks said. “It means less travel for families, more time at the bedside, and stronger support systems during critical moments. When babies stay closer to home, families stay together, and research shows this improves outcomes, both medically and emotionally.”
One family that experienced this personally was the Sloans. Randee Sloan’s son, Cooper, was born at 36 weeks, and she experienced reassurance knowing specialized care was close when he needed it most.
“Within an hour of being born, he was showing signs of labored breathing, which caused him to be sent to the NICU,” she shared. “He was in NICU care for 72 hours.”
Upon admission, Cooper was placed in the Bradley Arthur Pittman Room, a space funded by family friends Lou Watkins and Martha Pittman. Randee was struck by the connection and reached out to Martha sharing, “Our story is a small example of what your donation is doing for families like mine to get the care we needed right in Stillwater rather than having to be sent to OKC or Tulsa. Your donation gave us the convenience of being so close to Cooper.”
The OnCue NICU was fully funded through private support from Stillwater Medical Foundation donors, community members and local businesses. At the celebration, an art installation by Brandon Reese, “Community,” was unveiled to pay tribute to the many individuals whose shared vision and generosity made the unit possible.
Denise Webber, CEO and president of Stillwater Medical, echoed that sense of shared purpose and community impact in her remarks. “One year ago, we opened these doors with hope. Today, we stand here with proof that when a community comes together to meet a need, lives are changed for the better,” she said.
She emphasized the importance of presence in some of life’s most critical moments, and the joy of seeing the growth and vitality of NICU graduates. As the event concluded, attendees reflected on both the progress made and the stories still to come.
“This NICU represents the very best of who we are as a community—and the very best of what’s possible when we care for one another,” Webber said.
The OnCue NICU stands as both a milestone and a beginning—built on collaboration, compassion, and a shared commitment to keeping families close during life’s most critical moments.
