What better place is there than Chuck E. Cheese to celebrate birthdays?! That’s what the administrators and healthcare professionals with NorthShore Health Centers thought when they partnered with the family fun center to celebrate the first birthdays of babies born under their care.
Families filed in Tuesday afternoon to enjoy food, cake and tokens for the children to play games in the first event of it’s kind thrown by the not-for-profit community-based health and education center.
The event brought together babies that turned one in early 2015 along with their families to truly celebrate together. Chuck E. was out dancing with the excited children and making sure they were all having a great time. The bells, whistles, and lights of the games and rides assured there was no lack of fun for the children and their siblings.
Michelle Higel, NorthShore Family Care Coordinator, said, “Our organization teamed with Chuck E. Cheese to do something for the community, and what better way than to have these parents, family and children come to a safe, fun environment! We know that infant mortality rate is high so getting to that one year birthday is amazing and certainly a reason to celebrate.”
The party was 100% free as NorthShore just wanted families to come and enjoy the pizza, games and fun atmosphere.
“Each child leaves with a birthday present and the family receives information on health and dental care as well as other resources within the community where help and assistance are available,” said Gervay Dickerson of NorthShore Health Centers. “It all starts with health,” she continued, “we want healthy babies throughout Northwest Indiana.”
Gene Bowden, of Hobart, came to celebrate with his son Duncan, who turned one year old in February. “We’ve been going to NorthShore since before Duncan was born and they’ve taken great care of us,” he said.
No matter what a person's social or economic standing is in the community, NorthShore’s mission to ensure that each individual has access to the best possible, highest quality healthcare, regardless whether insured or uninsured. The organization is an absolute asset to the region and has improved the overall health of their patients and the community. NorthShore’s Family Care Coordination program is there to empower families and their ability to care for their own through education on developmental stages and safety tips. They’re strengthening the family as a whole and improving health by providing needed services and working with families in the first year of their childs life.
North Shore Health Centers provide a wide array of services including Family Practice, Pediatrics, Behavioral Health, Optometry, and Dental Care as well as servicing other areas as well. Information can be found at www.northshorehealth.org.