Honoring the Memory of Pat Rice and Claire Fitzgerald

Pat Rice and Claire Fitzgerald, beloved husband-and-wife volunteers, spent more than 20 years cuddling NICU babies at Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital Stanford. Claire offered a gentle, grandmotherly touch, while Pat was known for his soothing Irish tunes.

Their legacy lives on through a book cart created in their honor, featuring a poem Pat wrote—reminding us all of the power of love and presence in the healing process.

“You are so new… But I know you are strong… You will create a story even fuller and longer.” – Pat Rice