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:

• The campaign recognizes NICU babies as Little Fighters: Huggies is helping more people see NICU babies not only as fragile, but as strong, resilient fighters from the very beginning.
• The campaign is rooted in a real NICU story: Derick Hall's story began in the NICU, and his mother, Stacy Gooden-Crandle, is helping share their family's journey to support other NICU families.
• Huggies supports NICU babies through specialized care: Huggies partnered with NICU nurses and therapists to design two sizes of preemie diapers, tailored to the unique needs of the tiniest babies. Every micro and nano preemie diaper is carefully hand‑inspected to ensure Huggies delivers high quality products for baby.
• Consumers can show support: To learn more and join the fight, visit huggies.com/littlefighters.

Celebrating NICU Little Fighters
The 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 to meet Little Fighters' needs in the NICU, but also elevating stories like mine and giving back to a community that means so much to me. I'm honored to help shine a light on the strength, resilience, and incredible potential of these tiny warriors."

"When your baby is in the NICU, every moment is filled with uncertainty and you learn to cling to progress, hope, and every small victory," said Stacy Gooden-Crandle, Derick's mom. "That's why being featured in Natural Born Fighters means so much to me, because Huggies understands the strength of NICU babies and the journey their families are on. Together we're helping elevate powerful stories like Derick's—so the world can see just how resilient, courageous, and strong these Little Fighters truly are."

The launch of Natural Born Fighters comes at a meaningful moment, leading into Mother's Day on May 10 and National Nurses Week, May 6 through 12, recognizing both the strength of NICU moms and the dedication of the nurses and caregivers who support babies during their most vulnerable days.

How Huggies Supports NICU Little Fighters
Huggies is driven by a relentless commitment to care for NICU Little Fighters and to support the families and caregivers who stand beside them. For decades, Huggies has partnered with healthcare professionals to support babies in the NICU through purposeful innovation. Huggies designs diapers made specifically for premature and medically fragile babies, as the smallest fighters deserve solutions created for their unique needs.

Huggies micro and nano preemie diapers are designed to support the unique needs of NICU babies, including:

• Gentle skin protection: Huggies diapers are designed without harsh irritants and provide soft, gentle protection for the most delicate babies.
• Designed to support developmental positioning: Huggies nano preemie diapers are designed for babies under 2 pounds, and Huggies micro preemie diapers are designed for babies under 4 pounds.
• Flexible, comfortable positioning: The narrow shape between the legs and flexible absorbent core helps to support positioning as Little Fighters grow.
• Adjustable fit for NICU care: Overlapping fasteners allow for an adjustable fit and accommodate patient lines and tubes.
• Hand-inspected quality: Each Huggies nano preemie and micro preemie diaper is hand-inspected before being delivered to NICUs. Since 2013, Huggies has hand-inspected more than 38 million micro and nano preemie diapers in Neenah, Wisconsin.
• Support for fighting spirit: Each box is packed with a note of inspiration as part of Huggies commitment to helping Little Fighters and those in their corner keep their fighting spirit.

"At Huggies, we're committed to delivering unprecedented care to NICU babies, innovating our design to meet their unique needs and hand-inspecting millions of diapers before shipping to hospitals worldwide," said Scott Glenn, Vice President of Huggies Diapers. "After decades of delivering this relentless care, we know NICU babies are fighters, not fragile. By showcasing some incredible stories in Natural Born Fighters, we hope to inspire others to view NICU babies as the Little Fighters they are and join us in supporting their fight."

How Consumers Can Show Support
As part of the campaign, Huggies is inviting consumers to join the fight with NICU babies and families by visiting huggies.com/littlefighters and sharing the Little Fighters social post with the tag @niculittlefighters. Huggies will donate $1 to support NICU babies and families through the Derick Hall One Percent Foundation for each social share of the Little Fighters post that tags @niculittlefighters, subject to campaign terms.* 

Positive messages and engagement from the community may also be repurposed into standalone content for @niculittlefighters, a new handle created to uplift and celebrate NICU Little Fighters and the families in their corner.

Consumers can also learn more about the Derick Hall One Percent Foundation at dhallonepercent.org, a nonprofit founded by Hall and Gooden-Crandle that supports NICU families and youth through programs focused on opportunity, wellness and community impact.

To learn more and join the fight with NICU Little Fighters, visit huggies.com/littlefighters.

About Huggies Brand
For more than 40 years, Huggies has helped parents provide their babies with love, care and reassurance. From developing innovative everyday baby care products to partnering with NICU nurses to create diapers and wipes for the most fragile babies, Huggies is dedicated to helping ensure that all babies get the care they need to thrive. Huggies is proud to be the founding sponsor of the National Diaper Bank Network, a nationwide nonprofit dedicated to eliminating diaper need in America since 2011. Huggies is also the national sponsor of Hand to Hold, a nonprofit that provides personalized support before, during and after NICU stays and infant loss. For more information on product offerings and community efforts, please visit Huggies.com.

About Kimberly-Clark
Kimberly-Clark (NASDAQ: KMB) and its trusted brands are an indispensable part of life for people in more than 175 countries and territories. Our portfolio of brands, including Huggies, Kleenex, Scott, Kotex, Cottonelle, Poise, Depend, Andrex, Pull-Ups, Goodnites, Intimus, Plenitud, Sweety, Softex, Viva and WypAll, hold No. 1 or No. 2 share positions in approximately 70 countries. Our company's purpose is to deliver Better Care for a Better World. We are committed to using sustainable practices designed to support a healthy planet, build strong communities, and enable our business to thrive for decades to come. To keep up with the latest news and learn more about the company's more than 150-year history of innovation, visit the Kimberly-Clark website.

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SOURCE Kimberly-Clark Corporation