INTERVIEWS SUNDAY: NICU Reunion Party At Kaiser Permanente Sunnyside (Photo) - 09/10/26

CLACKAMAS, Ore. (Sept. 10, 2026) ~ Kaiser Permanente Sunnyside Medical Center will celebrate its annual NICU Reunion on Sunday, Sept. 13, bringing together hundreds of former NICU patients, their families and the healthcare professionals who cared for them. This year’s dinosaur-themed event, “Little Dinosaurs, Great Big Roar,” is a heartwarming celebration of strength, resilience and the incredible journeys of the hospital’s NICU graduates.

Media are invited from 1:30-2:30 p.m. to see families, friends and healthcare workers gathered to reconnect and celebrate the growth and milestones of children who received care in the Sunnyside NICU. The reunion typically draws 400 to 700 people each year and gives former patients and their families an opportunity to reconnect with the nurses and doctors who supported them during some of the most challenging moments of their lives.

NICU parents Hannah and Jesse Lear-Konold and their 6-month-old son, Jude, will join the celebration this year to reconnect with the nurses and doctors who cared for Jude during his two-week NICU stay. Hannah’s journey to motherhood was anything but easy. At 19 weeks pregnant, she went into early labor and was in danger of losing Jude. Doctors performed emergency surgery and placed a cerclage, allowing the pregnancy to continue. Hannah ultimately went into labor again at 35 weeks and gave birth to Jude on March 11, 2026. Although his birth went beautifully, Jude later had difficulty feeding and was evaluated by the Kaiser Permanente care team, who determined he needed to spend time in the NICU until he could safely feed on his own.

As first-time parents, Hannah and her husband, Jesse, were frightened when they learned their newborn would need intensive care. But Hannah said the NICU team immediately made them feel supported and reassured.

“Jude is truly our miracle baby, and we are so incredibly grateful for the Kaiser Permanente team,” Hannah said. “From the doctors who helped us when we thought we might lose him to the nurses who loved and cared for him in the NICU, we felt like we were home. We owe the NICU team the world, and they will forever be in our hearts.”

Hannah and Jesse spent their days and nights with Jude during his two weeks in the NICU. Today, Jude is thriving and already showing his adventurous personality. He loves music, being held and camping with his parents, who took him on his first camping trip as a newborn. The family says Jude has already become quite the traveler, enjoying weekend getaways and even airplane rides.

“Jude loves adventure, and we joke that he decided to join the world early because he was eager to start having fun with us,” Hannah said. “We can't imagine our lives without him.”

Interviews Available:

Media are invited to attend the NICU Reunion celebration from 1:30-2:30 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 13, in the courtyard outside the Labor & Delivery department at Kaiser Permanente Sunnyside Medical Center, 10180 S.E. Sunnyside Road, Clackamas. Interviews will be available near the entrance to the courtyard. Contact Karen Vitt to RSVP or for additional information.

• Julie Metcalf, DNP, NNP-BC, RN, a NICU nurse and invaluable member of the Sunnyside NICU team, will be available to discuss the reunion, the care provided to NICU babies and families, and the importance of supporting families throughout their NICU journeys.
   
• Hannah and Jesse Lear-Konold and their 6-month-old son, Jude, will be available to share their family's NICU journey, including Jude’s premature birth at 35 weeks, his two-week NICU stay and the care and support they received from the Sunnyside NICU team.

Visuals/Activities at the 2026 NICU Reunion include:

• Dinosaur-themed activities and giveaways, including a dinosaur egg hunt
• Baby goats and bunnies for children to interact with
• Lucy the Lab, Kaiser Permanente's friendly volunteer registered therapy dog
• Clackamas Fire with a fire truck, as available, and fire safety information
• AMR Ambulance and children’s safety activities
• PANDA neonatal transport team, as available; the Pediatric and Neonatal Doernbecher Transport team provides ICU-level care for critically ill and injured children during transport
• Northwest Mothers Milk Bank
• Local library partners and free books for children
• Little Goldfish Swim School
• Trauma Nurses Talk Tough
• Burn safety education
• Arts and crafts, games and prizes
• Story time, sidewalk chalk and temporary tattoos
• Popcorn and other treats
• Photo booth
• Raffle prizes and giveaways, including a drawing for a handmade scarf, four OMSI tickets and several stuffed toys
• Opportunities for former NICU families to reconnect with the nurses, doctors and caregivers who helped care for their children

About Kaiser Permanente

Kaiser Permanente is committed to helping shape the future of health care. We are recognized as one of America's leading health care providers and not-for-profit health plans. Founded in 1945, Kaiser Permanente has a mission to provide high-quality, affordable health care services and to improve the health of our members and the communities we serve. We currently serve 12.9 million members in 9 states and the District of Columbia. Care for members and patients is focused on their total health and guided by their personal Permanente Medical Group physicians, specialists, and team of caregivers. Our expert and caring medical teams are empowered and supported by industry-leading technology advances and tools for health promotion, disease prevention, state-of-the-art care delivery, and world-class chronic disease management. Kaiser Permanente is dedicated to care innovations, clinical research, health education, and the support of community health. For more information, go to about.kp.org.