Event reunites former NICU patients

MOBILE, Ala. (WALA) - Former patients of USA Children's & Women's Hospital's Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) and their parents were reunited with those who cared for them Sunday afternoon.

They call it the lighthouse -- the newly finished facade on the face of USA's Children's and Women's Hospital.

And just like the ray of safety a lighthouse provides for sailors, this one is a beacon of hope and life for families.

"I'm so thankful I was living in Mobile and I was able to come here," said Laurie Waite Roebuck, whose son Jackson and daughter Elizabeth were both born prematurely

"When you're pregnant, you never think about what could happen. To be here in Mobile and come directly to this hospital was a blessing," said Jennifer Smith, whose one-year-old daughter Amberleigh was born about 15 weeks early.

USA's Wiseman Neonatal Intensive Care Unit celebrated its 23rd reunion for all the families who've come here for care. Dr. Fabien Eyal said the unit's goal is to provide care on par with that in bigger cities' centers.

Eyal said, "Be assured if your newborn or premature baby is sick you will get as good care as any other good unit in this country."

Eyal says USA's NICU cares for nearly 1,000 premature babies a year. It's a level three type NICU, which means they can treat some of the most ill newborns.

USA Children's and Women's hospital says level three Neonatal care facilities often are evaluated first for new treatments and technologies.

The gathering continues to grow and those involved come from all walks of life. They and their kids share a bond of survival.

Jackson Waite is a multi-sport athlete and on his way to high school but when he was born very prematurely at 25 weeks, doctors weren't sure he would survive.

His mother, Laurie Roebuck, said she was scared for her child. Fear and panic are common feelings for parents whose children come through the NICU.

"You just panic, you panic and you rely on your faith. You pray so hard everyday," said Jennifer Smith.

Amberleigh will celebrate her first birthday on Thursday.