By: STACY BRANDT – Staff Writer
      North County Times, November 16, 2006

OCEANSIDE – When Jackson Chambers was born, he was about three months premature and weighed only two pounds, four ounces.

Two and a half years later, the healthy boy was able to play Sunday afternoon with other children who were born prematurely at Tri-City Medical Center’s 20th anniversary of its Neonatal Intensive Care Unit.

Jackson’s parents, Staci and Paul Chambers, said they wanted to bring their son to the celebration to thank the doctors and nurses who helped them during the trying three months that he was in intensive care.

"They’re amazing," his mother said, fighting back joyous tears. "They’re more than nurses and doctors… They’re like extended family to us."

Jackson has been the picture of health since he got out of the hospital and hasn’t even gotten a cold yet, she said.

Hundreds of families with similar stories attended the event Sunday, socializing with each other and reuniting with the doctors and nurses who took care of their newborn children.

"This is a celebration of all of the babies who were born premature or with problems and went to our Neonatal Intensive Care Unit," said Sonia Ryan, director of marketing for the hospital. "It’s a miracle."

The children played games, ate food, worked on crafts and met each other while their parents looked on and chatted with hospital employees.

"This is so much fun," Staci Chambers said. "I’m excited to see all of these great kids, so healthy and strong."

Roughly 600 families were expected to attend the event, which was paid for by the Tri-City Hospital Foundation, administrators and Pediatrix Medical Group, which oversees the newborn unit. The celebration ended with an emotional slide show that compared pictures of the unhealthy newborns with what they look like now.

The hospital has put on the celebration every five years since 1991 and expects to continue, Ryan said.

Hamid Movahhedian, medical director of neonatal services at the hospital, said he was especially thrilled to see many of the children that he helped nurse to health and their parents.

"It’s very rewarding to me," he said. "It tells me that we are dealing with satisfied customers."

Last year, doctors and nurses in the newborn unit helped more than 400 premature or underweight babies develop into healthy children, Ryan said.

Susan Arnold, a nurse in the unit, said the event was extra special for her and her 4-year-old son, Grayson, because he was born prematurely and had to spend time there.

"It’s nice to see all the little ones come back," she said. "You remember when they were two- and three-pounders, and here they are now, big, healthy, exceptional kids."

Though most of the families who came to the celebration had younger children, because the unit has been at the hospital for 20 years, there were a few older former patients as well.

Loredana Jenkins doesn’t remember the time she spent in the newborn care unit 17 years ago, but she said it has still had a profound impact on her life.

"It makes you think, you really do only get one chance," she said. "You’ve got to have that hope. I was one breath away from not being here now."

Jenkins, who recently celebrated her 17th birthday, said she thought the event was a great way to celebrate life.

"It’s cool that the hospital has something like this for everybody to enjoy and be together," she said.

Contact staff writer Stacy Brandt at (760) 631-6622 or sbrandt@nctimes.com.