As a rare but alarming outbreak of infant botulism linked to contaminated baby formula spread across the U.S., Health Writer JoNel Aleccia delivered the only national story explaining the lifesaving treatment at the heart of the response: BabyBIG — a plasma-derived IV therapy made from the blood of a small group of scientists and volunteers.
Aleccia had already identified BabyBIG as a little-known but crucial medical intervention long before the ByHeart-linked outbreak made headlines. Her early reporting allowed her to move quickly once the outbreak intensified, securing access to California health officials, physicians, affected families and the plasma donors who quietly sustain the treatment.
The result was a rare kind of medical feature — a story that balanced science with humanity, told through intimate interviews, vivid detail and strong visual storytelling. Aleccia’s reporting illuminated the decades-long public health effort behind BabyBIG, offering readers both essential medical context and a sense of wonder about the people working behind the scenes to save infants’ lives.
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