MUNSTER | They say good things come in small packages.
When Nathan C. Splant, son of Phillip and Kimberly Splant, of St. John, was born 15 weeks prematurely Jan. 10, 2004, he weighed less than 2 lbs. and was only 12 inches long. He spent 108 days in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) of Community Hospital in before being discharged in April with an oxygen tank and heart monitor.
Good things have continued to happen ever since. Today, Nathan is a healthy, happy 5-year-old. The Splant family recently made a return trip to Community Hospital to make a special delivery on behalf of the Nathan C. Splant Foundation, an organization the family founded to honor their son and give back to others.
The donation of DVD players and educational viewing materials regarding preterm babies from the Nathan C. Splant Foundation will provide the parents of other premature babies born at Community Hospital's NICU and Special Care Nursery, with the education and support necessary for a healthier start.
"Our family couldn't have done it without the dedication and compassion of all those involved with Nathan's recovery - the doctors, nurses, therapists and special program aides," said Kim Splant.
"We're taking this opportunity to give back to the community," said Phillip Splant. "We hope that others will benefit from our story - our miracle."
More than 2,400 babies are born at Community Hospital each year. The hospital supports an advanced Neonatal Intensive Care unit staffed by fellowship-trained neonatologists 24 hours a day.
For information on the Nathan C. Splant Foundation, visit shareyourstory.org/webx/.eed4330.
