Leighton's Gift

OUR MISSION To turn a tragedy into something positive. OUR NONPROFIT Leighton’s Gift was founded in 2013 by NICU parents Chris & Amy Skaggs. After the premature birth and NICU admission of their twins, Jaxon and Leighton, they were inspired to give back. Jaxon came home from the NICU after 74 long days; however, Leighton earned her angel wings three short weeks after birth due to a late-onset group B strep infection. During their experience, Chris and Amy saw first hand the need for a better connection for parents and babies in the NICU. It was this need and the couple’s desire to create a lasting legacy for Leighton that was the main driving force behind the creation of the nonprofit. OUR STORY One night, after Jaxon was home from the NICU, Amy had an uneasy feeling and just needed to see Jaxon. She rolled over to her nightstand, turned on the monitor, and saw Jaxon sleeping peacefully. That was it! Chris and Amy both questioned why they didn’t have this type of technology in the NICU. It’s physically impossible to be at the NICU 7 days a week, 24 hours a day. What if families had a way to connect to their child even when they physically couldn’t be present? OUR IMPACT The first projects Leighton’s Gift tackled included raising funds to purchase and install specially-designed and HIPAA-compliant webcams — 45 at Texas Health Plano and 35 at Memorial Hermann The Woodlands. Our story has been shared with many other hospitals, and new donors have been inspired to start and complete their own campaigns. We’re currently in the home stretch of our multi-year fundraising goal to create Leighton’s Room in the new NICU Family Center at Texas Health Plano. Once this project completes, we’ll be nearing half a million dollars raised to support our mission. Leighton’s Gift has a long-term goal and commitment to provide comfort, connection, and peace to NICU families.