The baby, premature but strong enough to cry, was quickly taken to the neonatal unit. For a brief moment, there was hope. The mother even managed a faint smile, asking to see her daughter. But before the nurses could bring her the newborn, alarms began to sound. Her blood pressure had plummeted.

Doctors rushed to stabilize her, surrounding her hospital bed with a precision born of desperation. Family members were escorted out of the room as the medical team fought to save her life. The hours that followed were a blur — machines beeping, monitors flashing, nurses running between rooms. The father, barely keeping himself upright, sat in the hallway holding the tiny pink hat meant for his baby girl, unable to speak.

One nurse, stepping out for a moment, told the family quietly, “She’s fighting hard, but it’s very