Huggies® Launches "Natural Born Fighters" to Celebrate the Strength and Spirit of NICU Babies and Families, and the Care that Supports Their Fight

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The new campaign features reigning football champion and starting linebacker Derick Hall, gold medal swimmer Allison Schmitt and others to help the world see NICU babies as the fighters they are CHICAGO, May 6, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Huggies® today announced the launch of Natural Born Fighters, a new campaign recognizing the strength of NICU babies and supporting the families, nurses and caregivers who fight alongside them. Grounded in the belief that every baby deserves care designed for their unique needs, the campaign builds on a powerful truth: while some see NICU babies as fragile, Huggies sees them as Little Fighters. Natural Born Fighters encourages the world to celebrate NICU Little Fighters and to join the fight at huggies.com/littlefighters. At the heart of the campaign is the story of Stacy Gooden-Crandle and her son, Derick Hall. Born at 23 weeks and weighing just 2 pounds, 9 ounces, Derick was given a 1% chance of survival. Despite the uncertainty of his earliest days, Stacy never stopped seeing her son as a fighter. Today, Derick is a reigning football champion and starting linebacker, and his story serves as a powerful reminder that strength can start in the earliest moments of life. What to know about Huggies Natural Born Fighters: Celebrating NICU Little FightersThe campaign launches with a film that celebrates NICU babies as fighters whose stories begin with extraordinary resilience. Narrated by Stacy, the film reflects on Derick's earliest days in the NICU and the fighting spirit he had from his first moment. The campaign also features former NICU babies including gold medal swimmer Allison Schmitt and iconic figures including Albert Einstein and Anna Pavlova, spotlighting those whose lives began with fragile starts and went on to leave an extraordinary mark on the world. Together, these stories reinforce the campaign's central message: NICU babies are not defined by how small they are, but by how powerfully they fight from the very beginning. "This campaign is personal to me because being a natural born fighter is part of my story and I grew up knowing that I started life fighting from day one, overcoming the odds with just a one percent chance of survival," said Derick Hall. "Partnering with Huggies is a natural choice for me because their care for NICU babies and their families is real, not only designing diapers...

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