Between May 15 and June 14, 2025, ARNIS – the Romanian Association for Long-Hospitalized Newborns – mobilized neonatal units across the country for the fifth edition of its annual Kangaroo Mother Care (KMC) Competition. This year’s campaign achieved an all-time record of 1,606 hours of Kangaroo Mother Care – up from 1,350 hours in 2024 – and engaged a growing network of hospitals, professionals, and families dedicated to improving care for Romania’s most vulnerable babies.

The competition, which took place between International Kangaroo Care Day (May 15) and June 14, aimed to raise awareness and improve implementation of skin-to-skin contact between parents and hospitalized newborns, a globally recognized intervention for preterm and low birth-weight infants.

Widespread Engagement Across Romania

Father practicing Kangaroo Care while a nurse assists with feeding a premature infant in a neonatal care unit. — A Romanian father holds his newborn in Kangaroo Care while the mother supports tube feeding. This photo highlights the integrative, hands-on approach to neonatal care promoted during the KMC Marathon.

This year’s edition involved:

8 maternity hospitals across the country
11 NICU teams
33 medical professionals (neonatologists and nurses)
132 parents, including 45 fathers
100 newborns receiving direct Kangaroo Mother Care

Each hour of contact took place in NICUs, demonstrating how Kangaroo Mother Care can be practiced in even the most high-acuity clinical environments. ARNIS emphasized that every minute of contact counts, supporting newborn survival, emotional regulation, early bonding, and long-term development.

A Life-Saving, Evidence-Based Practice

KMC is clinically proven to save lives. Studies show that for infants under 2 kg, Kangaroo Mother Care can reduce neonatal mortality by up to 40%, cut the incidence of infections by 65%, promote neurodevelopment, improve breastfeeding rates, and support long-term emotional and cognitive outcomes. It is strongly recommended by the World Health Organization for preterm and medically fragile infants, especially when practiced intensively and over long periods.

Competition Highlights and Winners

Father in medical gear holding his premature baby skin-to-skin during Kangaroo Mother Care in a Romanian NICU. — A father proudly holds his premature newborn during Kangaroo Mother Care (KMC) in a Romanian neonatal intensive care unit, showcasing the power of skin-to-skin contact in early bonding and recovery.

The competition measured performance using a points-based system that rewarded sustained KMC practice across participating units. This year’s top-performing teams earned a study visit to Budapest, where they will observe advanced Family-Centered Care models –thanks to the generous support of Dr. Bodrogi Eszter, Dr. Csaba Nádor, and the Hungarian parent organization “Melletted a helyem” led by Livia Nagy Bonnard.

Category A – Neonatal Intensive Care Units (NICU):

Dr. I. Cantacuzino Clinical Hospital, Bucharest – 133 points
Târgu Mureș County Emergency Clinical Hospital – 42 points
Polizu Maternity, INSMC Alessandrescu-Rusescu – 21 points
Târgoviște County Emergency Hospital – 12 points

Category B – Preterm Wards:

Sibiu County Emergency Clinical Hospital – 361 points
Dr. I. Cantacuzino Clinical Hospital, Bucharest – 190 points
Cuza Vodă Obstetrics-Gynecology Hospital, Iași – 95 points
Târgu Mureș, Brăila, Slobozia, and Polizu (INSMC)

Humanizing Hospital Spaces

Mother and father each practicing Kangaroo Care with their preterm babies in a hospital setting, assisted by a nurse. — Two parents hold their premature babies skin-to-skin in a NICU, supported by a healthcare professional. This image captures the collaborative spirit of Kangaroo Mother Care during the 2025 KMC Marathon.

To amplify impact beyond the competition itself, ARNIS organized professional photo sessions in six participating hospitals. These images captured the emotional power of Kangaroo Mother Care and were transformed into illustrative panels, now permanently displayed in the respective neonatal units. The visuals serve as daily reminders of the value of skin-to-skin contact, promoting cultural and institutional acceptance of KMC within clinical settings. Special thanks to photographers Ana Dermenschi (Iași) and Rareș Helici (Sibiu).

Long-Term Advocacy and Capacity Building

Since 2018, ARNIS has championed Kangaroo Mother Care through its NICU Program, supporting systemic change in Romanian neonatal care. Key achievements include:

28 specialized recliner chairs donated to 14 hospitals
500+ healthcare professionals trained through FINE UK Level 1 (Family and Infant Neurodevelopmental Care Education)
9 FINE UK Level 2 trainees engaged in long-term mentoring
Educational materials provided to thousands of parents, including brochures, video seminars, and visual guides
Establishment of ARNIS Parent Support Centers in hospitals, where trained veteran parents offer guidance to families with hospitalized babies

Lasting Impact

In five years of competition, the program has recorded:

3,328 hours of documented KMC
285 infants benefiting from sustained skin-to-skin therapy
88 neonatal professionals actively implementing KMC
36 medical teams from 20 neonatal units participating nationwide

Although early editions were challenged by the COVID-19 pandemic, ARNIS has built steady momentum. Each year, more teams join, and the culture of daily Kangaroo Mother Care becomes more deeply embedded in neonatal care practices.

Much of this progress has been made possible thanks to the long-standing support and training provided by Dr. Inga Warren, Co-founder of FINE Training UK, along with Beverley Hick and Mary O’Connor, both NIDCAP Specialists and assigned FINE trainers in Romania. Their expertise and commitment have helped build a strong foundation for family-centered care across the country.

A Collective Commitment

Campaign image showing a mother practicing Kangaroo Care with the Romanian slogan: "Imbrățișarea 'prescrisă' zilnic în Terapie, face bine prematurilor." — A powerful visual from the ARNIS campaign promoting Kangaroo Care as a “prescribed” daily therapy for premature babies in Romania. The slogan reinforces skin-to-skin care as essential, not optional.

This year’s campaign is part of the broader #ÎmbrățișeazăUnPrematur (“Hug a Preemie”) initiative. Its message is simple yet powerful: “Imbrățișarea ‘prescrisă’ zilnic în Terapie, face bine prematurilor!” – “A daily ‘prescribed’ hug in neonatal care helps preemies thrive!” By intentionally putting “prescribed” in quotation marks, the campaign highlights the importance of treating Kangaroo Mother Care as an essential, routine part of therapy – not an optional extra. ARNIS credits the success of the 2025 competition to a united team effort – medical professionals, courageous parents, committed advocates, and generous donors working together to offer newborns a better start in life.

As one ARNIS parent put it:

“We are that part of the unit that cannot be left out. We want to be involved in our baby’s life – every moment, in every circumstance.”

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Romania’s National KMC Marathon Sets a New Record in 2025