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HCA Florida Orange Park Celebrates NICU Graduates at Annual Celebration
Jacksonville, Florida – September 13, 2025 – HCA Florida Orange Park Hospital hosted its annual NICU (Neonatal Intensive Care Unit) Reunion. This festive event celebrated NICU Awareness Month and honored the incredible journeys of the hospital’s tiniest patients, their families and caregivers. Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) Awareness Month is observed every September in recognition of the families who have or are currently experiencing stays in a hospital’s NICU, which as many know can be a challenging time.
The day was filled with fun and connection, including family-friendly carnival festivities. Attendees enjoyed face painting, games, an interactive NICU room exploration station, lunch, prizes, and more. The reunion is always a wonderful opportunity for families to reunite with the dedicated NICU staff and team of caregivers who provided support during their first days of life.
“Every year, we are honored to host this event that unites our hospital community with the families and caregivers who have shown incredible resilience,” said Chad Patrick, Chief Executive Officer at HCA Florida Orange Park Hospital. “It’s a true celebration of hope and the amazing progress our NICU graduates have achieved.”
For babies born prematurely or with medical needs requiring intensive care, neonatal intensive care units provide specialized treatment for the tiniest of patients. As a Level II NICU, HCA Florida Orange Park Hospital provides highly specialized, around-the-clock health services for babies born as early as 32 weeks or 1,250 grams, as well as babies born with critical illness at all gestational ages. In fact, a study in recent years has estimated that between 9 and 13% of infants require neonatal intensive care for complex medical needs. A stay in the NICU can be caused by various reasons including prematurity, respiratory distress, infection, low blood sugar and other conditions in both the mother and newborn.
“We are so excited to celebrate the outstanding care that our NICU team provides to families in our community and loved reconnecting with our former patients,” said Suzanne Jones, Director of Women and Children’s Services at HCA Florida Orange Park Hospital.
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About HCA Florida Healthcare in Jacksonville
HCA Florida Healthcare, a part of HCA Healthcare, is a family of more than 500 affiliated sites of care. It is a collaborative network connecting approximately 11,000 physicians, 49 hospitals, over 50 urgent care centers and more than 350 physician practices and freestanding emergency rooms. In Jacksonville, HCA Florida Healthcare Memorial Hospital and HCA Florida Orange Park Hospital are part of this network of personalized care. Both are full service, acute care, Level II trauma hospitals fully accredited by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations and both are ranked as one of the best hospitals in the country for heart, lung, and surgical care. For more information about services, facilities and physicians, please visit www.hcafloridahealthcare.com.