Lyn Harris, an 80-year-old Vietnam veteran, says he finds joy in the six hours a week he spends cuddling sick and preterm babies in a Texas hospital’s neonatal intensive care unit.

Mr. Harris started volunteering 15 years ago at the front desk of St. David’s Medical Center, an Austin hospital founded by Episcopalians. But he says he found his true calling a few years ago when he moved into the hospital’s NICU Cuddler Program.

“Doing this, it’s just been very, very rewarding,” Mr. Harris told CBS Austin in a Nov. 16 televised news segment.

Research has shown that cuddling and skin-to-skin contact, also known as “kangaroo care,” are essential to the healthy development of infants.

In recent years, more hospitals have trained volunteers to provide this service in the NICU, a nursery where specialists offer 24/7 care to at-risk newborns until their health stabilizes.

At St. David, Mr. Harris has helped relieve the anxiety of parents who cannot be present around the clock with their babies in the NICU.

Sydney and Matt Malcolm, parents of 12-week-old Micah, told CBS Austin the cuddler program has made a big difference for them.

“As much as you would love to be here 24/7, you know, it’s just not possible,” Mrs. Malcolm said. “So for us, it’s been super comforting knowing that there are people like Lyn who can give your baby a little bit of extra love when you’re not here.”

Mr. Harris, who talks soothingly to the infants as he cuddles them, said he has no plans to stop.

“I’m an old man, so I’ll keep going until I can’t,” he said, laughing.

• Sean Salai can be reached at ssalai@washingtontimes.com.