Jackson Chance Foundation expands NICU family parking program to Comer Children's Hospital
The Jackson Chance Foundation supports the lives of families with babies in the NICU by removing the financial burden of finding parking near hospitals.
Carrie and Terry Meghie started the foundation in honor of their late son, Jackson, who spent all of his 10 months in the NICU.
The foundation started its program paying for parking for NICU babies' families at Lurie Children's Hospital. The program has since blossomed and added Rush University Children's Hospital and Northwestern Medicine Prentice Women's Hospital, and now, it is expanding to the University of Chicago's Comer Children's Hospital.
At Comer, the foundation will provide parking for 71 NICU beds.
"When our son Jackson spent 10 months in the NICU, we were shocked that parking was our largest out-of-pocket expense, and it was a true obstacle for families, so our mission is to give other babies like Jackson the gift to have someone with them 24/7 when they're in the hospital," said Carrie Meghie.
The addition of Comer Children's Hospital to the foundation's parking programs will in particular benefit NICU parents from the city's South Side.
"It's one of the top hospitals in Chicago with the babies and families in great need, so we're very, very excited that we're able to make this happen," said Carrie Meghie.
Jackson Meghie would be almost 15 years old if he were still alive today. Carrie Meghie explained how her foundation keeps his memory alive.
"When you lose a child, it's really sad and terrible, and a lot of people have a hard time talking about it," she said. "It really gives me the opportunity to keep his memory alive, talk about him, and it's just that his life has inspired and helped so many people."
The Jackson Chance Foundation holds fundraising events every year, including the Ping Pong Ball, an annual table tennis tournament in which each bracket is captained by a Chicago sports icon. The next Ping Pong Ball events for the foundation are set for Friday, Nov. 6 at SPIN Chicago, 344 N. State St.
The foundation also hosts the Owl Ride for Jackson, a 111-mile round-trip bike ride between Chicago and Valparaiso, Indiana. This year's Owl Ride is already over, having taken place in August.