Alumna's Charity Provides Support for NICU Families
Tiffany Hill graduated from Sage Hill in 2008 and went to UCLA to compete on the gymnastics team where she was part of a team that won three Pac-12 Championships and 1 NCAA Title. She met her husband, Austin, who played football at UCLA at the end of her freshman year. Tiffany went on to Loyola Law School and graduated from Loyola Law School in 2012. In 2015, Tiffany and her husband got married and by 2020, they decided to start a family.
What was your inspiration for starting your charity, NICU 2 Nursery?
Our baby boy, Jake Weston Hill, was born prematurely on June 29, 2020. After having decreased fetal movement for three days, I decided to go to Hoag Hospital to make sure everything was OK. The doctors quickly decided that Jake was in distress after giving him a score of only 2/10 for fetal health. Within 25 minutes of checking in to the hospital, Jake was born. He was born weighing just 4 pounds and was quickly admitted to the NICU, where he spent almost a month being cared for by the world's best doctors and nurses.
While in the NICU, Austin and I discovered how challenging it is for parents to financially prepare to bring their NICU baby home. We noticed that the conversations in the NICU centered around the stress of funding necessary essentials rather than focusing on the joy of bringing their baby home. After Jake was discharged, we decided to start NICU 2 Nursery to bridge the gap between insurance-covered medical care and necessities not covered by insurance. NICU 2 Nursery aims to provide parents with the financial resources they need so they can focus on the excitement of bringing their child home rather than the financial burden that often comes with the NICU. NICU 2 Nursery's goal is to make sure that no parent has to worry about funding their child's well-being.
What about your experience at Sage Hill helped prepare you while developing NICU 2 Nursery?
Sage Hill is an incredible school. From the amazing culture to the rigorous academics, we have an amazing school. But what really sets Sage Hill apart is the commitment to the community. Through Service Learning, I was truly able to understand the value of giving back to my community. I had volunteered my whole life, but Sage Hill taught me how to meaningfully contribute to my community rather than just passively participate. Sage Hill taught me how to identify issues impacting people (oftentimes the issues that are overlooked) and find solutions to raise awareness for these issues. Our goal at NICU 2 Nursery is to do just that. There are a lot of resources to help pay for NICU medical bills but we recognized that the financial burden doesn't stop at NICU bills. Things like preemie diapers, specialized formula and heart rate monitors are not covered by insurance or currently available resources, yet parents struggle to provide these things to their precious children. Sage Hill taught me how to identify the often overlooked issue and create a solution.
Sage Hill is an incredible school. From the amazing culture to the rigorous academics, we have an amazing school. But what really sets Sage Hill apart is the commitment to the community. Through Service Learning, I was truly able to understand the value of giving back to my community. I had volunteered my whole life, but Sage Hill taught me how to meaningfully contribute to my community rather than just passively participate. Sage Hill taught me how to identify issues impacting people (oftentimes the issues that are overlooked) and find solutions to raise awareness for these issues. Our goal at NICU 2 Nursery is to do just that. There are a lot of resources to help pay for NICU medical bills but we recognized that the financial burden doesn't stop at NICU bills. Things like preemie diapers, specialized formula and heart rate monitors are not covered by insurance or currently available resources, yet parents struggle to provide these things to their precious children. Sage Hill taught me how to identify the often overlooked issue and create a solution.
What is the main goal of NICU 2 Nursery?
The main goal of NICU 2 Nursery is to make sure no parent has to worry about funding their child's wellbeing. We have partnered with Hoag Hospital, and our goal is to make sure all babies receive the same level of care at home as they did in the NICU and come home to an optimal healing environment.
The main goal of NICU 2 Nursery is to make sure no parent has to worry about funding their child's wellbeing. We have partnered with Hoag Hospital, and our goal is to make sure all babies receive the same level of care at home as they did in the NICU and come home to an optimal healing environment.
What do you foresee in the future for NICU 2 Nursery?
At this point, NICU 2 Nursery only provides funds to families who graduate from Hoag's NICU. In the future, we would like to expand the charity on a national level and provide funds to hospitals across the U.S.
At this point, NICU 2 Nursery only provides funds to families who graduate from Hoag's NICU. In the future, we would like to expand the charity on a national level and provide funds to hospitals across the U.S.
Having had the opportunity to build something that will serve the community, what piece of advice can you provide to current Sage Hill students in serving their communities?
My piece of advice to current Sage Hill students would be to get creative with your philanthropy. There are so many great charities out there that all serve a wonderful purpose. But Sage Hill fosters adults who see things differently and think differently. This is a huge asset to our community and allows us to identify the issues that are often overlooked, including gaps in community resources. Identify that need and attack it like a lightning bolt.
Sage Hill School
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