How It All Began

In 2017, Serika gave birth to triplet-boys at The University Hospital of the West Indies (“UHWI”). Prior to giving birth she was told that the hospital did not have sufficient equipment to care for all three babies and they will have to choose the most likely to survive, while the other two will be left to die where non-mechanical measures would not suffice.  Although this did not happen, two of them passed away after two (2) months and (1) week in the NICU, respectively. Her surviving son, Seth went on to spend four (4) months in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (“NICU”).

While there, she listened to/heard of a number of families who had to watch their baby die because the hospitals were not equipped to care for them. Out of this experience, The Preemie Foundation of Jamaica (“the Foundation”) was born, of which she is the founding member.

Prior to this, there was no charitable organization in Jamaica that focused on premature babies and many families would suffer in silence, many believing it was their fault somehow and wealthy families just opting to deliver their babies overseas.  

Our ultimate aim is to ensure that pregnant families feel 100% secure in delivering their babies in Jamaica regardless of the level of illness and that all babies born are given an equal opportunity to survive.   To achieve this we will:-

  1. Raise awareness about premature babies born in Jamaica and provide support to the families throughout this journey.  
  2. Support medical research into premature labour/births and premature babies to ensure the best available care is given at all times.
  3. Acquire medical equipment for local hospitals, needed to care for premature babies, by organizing fundraisers and soliciting donations from Jamaicans at home and abroad.

Since our inception in October 2017, we have:

  1. Donated medical equipment and supplies to over 9 hospitals valued at over J$6million.
  2. Delivered over 300 Care packages to families of premature babies and NICU staff across the island
  3. Hosted annual blood drives obtaining over 150 units of blood.