GoodHeart | Building a village, rallying support for preemies

When Nadia Nivens-Jarrett felt her water break at just 28 weeks pregnant, eight years ago, shock washed over her because her daughter, Jayla Jarrett, was arriving far too early. Although she was already a mother, this was her first experience with a premature birth, and she had no idea what to expect. Likewise, Takema Robinson, who gave birth to her now 11-year-old son August Bradberry at 24 weeks, weighing one pound, faced a similar journey. What remains vivid in both mothers’ minds is the whirlwind of emotions they felt as their babies were taken straight to the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) for the critical care they so urgently needed.

Last Friday at Toyota Jamaica, the Preemie Foundation of Jamaica’s Sip and Paint for Preemies fundraiser filled the space with love and hope. Attendees came together not just to add colour to their canvases, but to show solidarity with families of preemies and to help raise funds for the critical care these babies need in Jamaica.

Speaking with GoodHeart while guiding her son as he mixed paint, Robinson said she felt every word shared by the foundation’s founder and fellow preemie mom, Serika Sterling, about the uncertainty that comes when a preemie is born.

“Having a premature birth is just one of those things that you just don’t know what can happen. Everyone plans to have a healthy baby but no one tells you things could go really wrong. It’s our first time supporting this event, and having a community is so important. There’s a special bond between people who have had that experience, you know?” she said, noting that, though they moved from the US a few years ago, they still continue to support the NICU where her son was cared for.

Nivens-Jarrett, who compared the size of her preemie at the time to that of a lotion bottle, recalled what it was like during the two months Jayla spent in hospital after birth.

“We had instances where her lungs had collapsed, she had gotten jaundice, she had seizures and had difficulty breathing. They had to run a lot of different tests on her. It was just a very traumatic experience in the NICU,” she explained, adding, “And, one that I will never forget is the day when things just went south. I think it was my anniversary and the doctor called me in and said, ‘she stopped breathing’ and they had to resuscitate her and that she’s going to need a ventilator, but they didn’t have any.”

When Nivens-Jarrett learned that a nurse had manually pumped oxygen into her daughter’s body until a ventilator became available, she realised how close they had come to losing her. Today, as Jayla grows with boundless curiosity and a joyful spirit, Nivens-Jarrett feels deeply thankful that her family was among the fortunate ones.

She added that the foundation grew out of bonds formed through trauma. “As NICU mums, we connected through our experiences. One of Serika’s children, who passed away, was my daughter’s ‘roommate’ in the NICU, and we became very close as we went through it together. Without the help of a village, getting through isn’t possible, and that’s why the Preemie Foundation exists to extend that village to those who don’t have it.”

Now in its fourth staging, the Sip and Paint event is one of many fundraisers that Sterling and her team host ahead of Preemie Month in November, as part of their mission to take action and raise awareness about preemie care in Jamaica year-round. They also continue supporting the project to outfit a nursery at the Princess Margaret Hospital in St Thomas.

“The Princess Margaret Hospital has been our focus for the last few years, and the ultimate goal is to build a special care nursery at a section of the hospital. That project is now between 15 and 20 million dollars – with prices gone up – so what we’re trying to do with fundraisers like these is to connect with sponsors and regular citizens who can help us to spread the word and help us to gain funding,” Sterling shared.

This year, the foundation plans to partner with various stakeholders, including the Jamaica Cycling Federation, for an upcoming event to help raise funds toward the hospital’s $15-million goal. During NICU Awareness Month in September, they also aim to boost advocacy and strengthen community ties by encouraging supporters to champion their local hospitals.

In November, Sterling encourages businesses to join the Light It Up Purple campaign by lighting their buildings in purple to raise preemie awareness. She also mentioned that an e-commerce site is being developed to support fundraising and advocacy efforts.

For Sterling, Robinson, and Nivens-Jarrett, it all comes back to what they needed most in those uncertain moments — support, understanding, and a community that cares. Through sharing their stories and showing up for others, they hope to make sure that no parent has to go through it alone, and that more babies get the chance to grow and thrive.

rollesha.laing@gleanerjm.com