For parents like Katherine Zaensi, whose daughter participated in zebra stripes, the event provided a necessary reprieve from the intensity of the neonatal unit. The program encourages families to spend at least 20 minutes a day reading aloud, a practice that nurse practitioner Elaine Green credits with empowering parents to play an active, meaningful role in their child's early care.

Since its inception in 2020, the Read-A-Thon has expanded from 39 participating units to 249 across the country. During the 2026 event, held throughout September, the initiative sought to transform the hospital bedside into a space for bonding rather than just medical observation. By turning literacy into a community effort, the hospital aims to establish habits that families continue long after their babies are discharged.