Brittany Jocius and Morgan Bass pose with their daughter Stella, who spent 40 days in the NICU, at the reunion. Photo courtesy of Dignity Health

CITRUS HEIGHTS, CA (MPG) - Dozens of families gathered at Rusch Park on Sept. 13 to reunite with doctors, nurses and respiratory therapists who once cared for their newborns in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at Dignity Health Mercy San Juan Medical Center. 

The reunion, held during National NICU Awareness Month, featured carnival games, arts and crafts, face painting, food, therapy animals that included a miniature horse and displays of a specialized Mercy San Juan NICU ambulance and a Sacramento Metro Fire truck.

The event gave families and caregivers the chance to reconnect, share stories and celebrate the progress of their children. 

Mercy San Juan’s Level III NICU provides advanced treatment for critically ill and premature newborns in the Sacramento region. 

The McClain family experienced stays in the NICU with two of their three children and attended the reunion on Sept. 13. Photo courtesy of Dignity Health

 

“Every child and family who comes through our NICU is unforgettable,” said Dr. Catherine Rottkamp, NICU medical director at Mercy San Juan. “Seeing them return, growing and thriving, is a meaningful reminder of why we do this work.” 

For sisters Brittany Jocius and Courtney McClain, the reunion carried special meaning. Both had babies cared for in Mercy San Juan’s NICU. 

Jocius and her partner, Morgan Bass, spent 40 days in the NICU with their daughter, Stella, who was diagnosed with phenylketonuria (PKU), a rare genetic disorder. “We tried to be there as much as we could, which was kind of difficult,” McClain said. “While we weren’t there, we knew that she was in such great hands with every single nurse and all the doctors.” 

Said Bass, “We were really sad that Stella wasn’t coming home with us. But after meeting the nurses and getting to know them, we felt like she was safe there and had people that cared. That is what got me through it.” 

McClain and her husband, Michael, experienced stays in the NICU with two of their three children. Their son, Nashville, was born at 28 weeks and spent more than 100 days in the unit. Their daughter Brixley, born full term, stayed one week. Both families commuted from Penn Valley during hospitalizations. 

“It’s never easy,” said Michael McClain. “It doesn’t matter if you’re there a day or over 100 like we were with Nashville; it’s very hard. Sometimes, you can’t hold your child that day. But they know mom and dad. They know the warmth of the loving heart that’s going to be there supporting them.”