Photo Gallery: Opening day for Kay Jewelers Pavilion |

After hundreds of hours of planning and several simulated trips, 39 infants were moved to our new NICU on May 5.

The opening of Akron Children’s Hospital’s Kay Jewelers Pavilion on May 5 represented the latest expansion of what’s considered the fastest growing children’s hospital in the nation, and continued a 125-year tradition of providing top-notch, family-centered care to children and teens throughout northern Ohio.

The GOJO Outpatient Surgery Center was the first to open with a patient family arriving at 6:30 a.m. The surgery team handled 10 surgeries on the inaugural day.

The spacious new ER opened at 7:30 a.m., and handled about a dozen patients in the first 2 hours, including our first transport from Wadsworth EMS within 5 minutes of opening.

At 8:15 a.m., special transport teams began moving 39 tiny babies 600 feet into their new homes in the Women’s Board of Children’s Hospital Neonatal Intensive Care Unit.

We captured these historic milestone events throughout the day. We hope you enjoy.

NOTE: Scroll over each image for a description. Click on the image to enlarge.

First ER patient
The opening of Kay Jewelers Pavilion generated a lot of media attention as reporters captured the NICU move and first ER patients, including 8-month-old Anna.

GOJO Outpatient Surgery Center
One of the advantages of our new surgery center is bedside registration in 1 of 8 private pre-operative rooms.

First surgery patient
Child life specialist Alisa Mills carries Pierson back to OR 3 for his ear tube surgery.

First surgery patient
Dr. Benson examines 2-year-old Declan, of Kent, before surgery as his dad holds hims.

First surgery patient
Dr. Mitchell, an anesthesiologist, answers questions from Pierson's mom, Erica, before surgery.

First surgery patient
Pierson is in good hands with the surgical nurses.

First surgery patient
The surgery team in our GOJO Outpatient Surgery Center performed 10 procedures on our inaugural day.

First surgery patient
A quick morning in and out of our new outpatient surgery center for Pierson and his parents.

First ER patient
Dr. Sarah Berrine examines 8-year-old Kierra, one of the first patients in our new ER.

NICU move
Each of the tiny babies wore matching onesies imprinted with "precious cargo" for their move into the new NICU.

NICU move
The private rooms of our new NICU aid in bonding, nursing and helping families have an understanding of what it will be like to care for their babies once they go home.

NICU move
The NICU babies ranged in age from 1 day to 13 months, with 11 weeks old being the average.

NICU move
They weren't supposed to be born yet, but 39 tiny babies took an amazing journey May 5 - just a few days before what will certainly be a memorable Mother's Day for their families.

NICU move
Loved ones followed the teams transported their little ones to their new rooms.

NICU move
After hundreds of hours of planning and several simulated trips, 39 infants were moved to our new NICU on May 5.

NICU move
It took about 8 hours to move all 39 babies from the old NICU to the new one.

NICU move
Most of the babies who moved into our new NICU were less than a week old.

NICU move
On move day, each baby received a full assessment by a range of clinicians to be approved for transfer.

NICU move
The NICU babies who moved into the new unit weighed between 2 lbs., 11 oz., to 18 lbs., 1 oz., with an average weight of 6 lbs., 13 oz.

NICU move
The move of 39 fragile babies into the new NICU required about 100 staff members from several departments.

NICU move
On this historic moving day, Dr. Anand Kantak, neonatology director, wears a "throwback" shirt from the opening of the hospital's Centennial Building in 1993.

First surgery patient
Kay comforts her son, Declan, before his surgery.

First surgery patient
Kate holds Luca while he's examined before his eye surgery.

First ER patient
MG_1646_1

First ER patient
8-year-old Kierra, of Akron, was one of the first patients of our new ER, which is twice as large as the old one.

Dr. Milo and a surgery nurse check the new electronic patient status board before beginning surgery.

First surgery patient
Grandma bounces Luca on her knee in a private pre-op room.

First surgery patient
Mom, Kate, carries Luca into the pre-op area after checking in at the registration desk.

First EMS - Wadsworth
Our new ER received the first transport just as the transition from the old ER to the new occurred at 7:30 a.m. May 5. The

First surgery patient
After his ear tube surgery, Pierson sleeps in the comfort of his mother's arms in a private recovery room in our new GOJO Outpatient Surgery Center.

First surgery patient
With a history of ear infections, 13-month-old Pierson received ear tubes from Dr. Albert in our new GOJO Outpatient Surgery Center.

First surgery patient
As the first patient family in our new GOJO Outpatient Surgery Center, Erica Spice, of Copley, kisses and comforts her 13-month-old son, Pierson in a private pre-op room.