Gainesville nurse and UF student Keliy Fordham brings her passion for pediatrics

For registered nurse Keliy Fordham, spending the first few days of her life in a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) shaped her passion for pediatrics.

Although the UF College of Nursing Ph.D. student and current NICU nurse at UF Health Shands Hospital does not recall these early moments as a baby, her mother’s vivid retelling of the care she received from doctors and nurses inspired Fordham to dedicate her career to helping infants.

Recently, Fordham received a prestigious TL1 grant from the Clinical and Translational Science Institute to investigate a prediction model for identifying babies at risk of developing necrotizing enterocolitis. The condition, which affects premature infants and is more common in Black and Hispanic populations, results in inflammation in the gastrointestinal tract and can lead to tissue death. In severe cases, the condition can be fatal.