Hackensack Meridian Health Welcomes 32 Babies Born on the First of the Year

Hackensack Meridian Health welcomed 32 babies on January 1, 2019. The first 2019 baby in the network was born at the Donna A. Sanzari Women’s Hospital at Hackensack University Medical Center. Avanthika Ananth came into the world at 12:34 a.m. She is the first child of Ananth Vijaykumar and Poornima Govardhan, who live in Fair Lawn. Avanthika was one of 11 babies born at Hackensack University Medical Center on New Year’s Day.

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“Avanthika means Princess,” said Ananth Vijaykumar, Avanthika’s father. “We are very excited that our daughter is the first baby to be born at Hackensack University Medical Center in 2019. We feel very fortunate that her birthday will always be so special. Even the time that she was born, 1-2-3-4 is special.”

Riverview Medical Center welcomed James Shevchenko, III at 1:52 a.m. He is the third baby of James and Alicia Shevchenko. Weighing seven pounds 10 ounces, James was greeted by a gathering of family and loved ones. Baby James was the first of three New Year’s Day babies born at Riverview Medical Center.

“He was due on the third, so it came as a surprise,” said James Shevchenko, Jr. ”We couldn't have asked for anything better to start the New Year."

Axel Garcia was born at JFK University Medical Center at 2:30 a.m. The seven pound one ounce baby boy is Marina Chavez’ fourth child. Two more babies weres delivered at the hospital on January 1.

Annastasia and Brian Summers are the proud parents of the first baby of the New Year born at Jersey Shore University Medical Center. Their son, Nathan, arrived at 6:38 a.m. on January 1, weighing five pounds 13 ounces. In addition, two other babies were born at Jersey Shore University Medical Center.

“My due date was January 9, so it was a wonderful surprise to have a New Year’s baby,” says Annastasia Summers. “The care we’ve received and all the resources have been wonderful, and we can’t wait for our family and friends to meet Nathan,” added Brian Summers.

Proud parents Christine McKenna and Nicholas Puzzo of Forked River welcomed Vienna Benita Puzzo into the world at Southern Ocean Medical Center on January 1, 2019. Delivered by Michael Sze, M.D. at 9:37 p.m., Vienna weighed seven pounds eight ounces and joins big sister, Lynda. Both mother and daughter are doing well and expect to head home soon.

Additional Hackensack Meridian Health hospitals also rang in the New Year delivering babies on the first of January:

Mountainside Medical Center – one baby

Ocean Medical Center – one baby

Palisades Medical Center – three babies

Pascack Valley Medical Center – four babies

Raritan Bay Medical Center, Perth Amboy – two babies

“Nothing says new beginnings like a baby,” said Robert C. Garrett, CEO of Hackensack Meridian Health. “I can think of no better way to start off a New Year than by celebrating these births throughout our network. It is always a privilege when parents choose one of our hospitals to bring their children into the world, but New Year’s Day is an extra special reminder of the impact we have on the families in our communities.”

ABOUT HACKENSACK MERIDIAN HEALTH

Hackensack Meridian Health is a leading not-for-profit health care organization that is the largest, most comprehensive and truly integrated health care network in New Jersey, offering a complete range of medical services, innovative research and life-enhancing care.

Hackensack Meridian Health comprises 16 hospitals from Bergen to Ocean counties, which includes three academic medical centers – Hackensack University Medical Center in Hackensack, Jersey Shore University Medical Center in Neptune, JFK Medical Center in Edison; two children’s hospitals - Joseph M. Sanzari Children’s Hospital in Hackensack, K. Hovnanian Children’s Hospital in Neptune; nine community hospitals - Ocean Medical Center in Brick, Riverview Medical Center in Red Bank, Mountainside Medical Center in Montclair, Palisades Medical Center in North Bergen, Raritan Bay Medical Center in Perth Amboy, Southern Ocean Medical Center in Manahawkin, Bayshore Medical Center in Holmdel, Raritan Bay Medical Center in Old Bridge, and Pascack Valley Medical Center in Westwood; and two rehabilitation hospitals - JFK Johnson Rehabilitation Institute in Edison and Shore Rehabilitation Institute in Brick.

Additionally, the network has nearly 500 patient care locations throughout the state which include ambulatory care centers, surgery centers, home health services, long-term care and assisted living communities, ambulance services, lifesaving air medical transportation, fitness and wellness centers, rehabilitation centers, urgent care centers and physician practice locations. Hackensack Meridian Health has 33,000 team members, and 6,500 physicians and is a distinguished leader in health care philanthropy, committed to the health and well-being of the communities it serves.

The network’s notable distinctions include having one of only five major academic medical centers in the nation to receive Healthgrades America’s 50 Best Hospitals Award for five or more consecutive years, four hospitals among the top 10 in New Jersey by U.S. News and World Report. Other honors include consistently achieving Magnet® recognition for nursing excellence from the American Nurses Credentialing Center, recipient of the John M. Eisenberg Award for Patient Safety and Quality from The Joint Commission and the National Quality Forum, a six-time recipient of Fortune’s “100 Best Companies to Work For,” one of the “20 Best Workplaces in Health Care” in the nation, and the number one “Best Place to Work for Women.” The network was also named to Becker’s Healthcare’s “150 Top Places to Work in Healthcare/2018” list.

The network’s notable distinctions include having one of only five major academic medical centers in the nation to receive Healthgrades America’s 50 Best Hospitals Award for five or more consecutive years, four hospitals among the top 10 in New Jersey by U.S. News and World Report. Other honors include consistently achieving Magnet® recognition for nursing excellence from the American Nurses Credentialing Center, recipient of the John M. Eisenberg Award for Patient Safety and Quality from The Joint Commission and the National Quality Forum, a six-time recipient of Fortune’s “100 Best Companies to Work For,” one of the “20 Best Workplaces in Health Care” in the nation, and the number one “Best Place to Work for Women.” The network was also named to Becker’s Healthcare’s “150 Top Places to Work in Healthcare/2018” list.

Hackensack Meridian Health partnered with Seton Hall University to launch the first private medical school in New Jersey – Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine at Seton Hall University - in more than 50 years to address a growing shortage of physicians and dramatic changes in health care delivery. Additionally, the network partnered with Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer to find more cures for cancer faster while ensuring that patients have access to the highest quality, most individualized cancer care when and where they need it. Hackensack Meridian Health and Carrier Clinic, New Jersey’s oldest and most respected behavioral health provider, signed a definitive agreement to merge.

Hackensack Meridian Health is a member of AllSpire Health Partners, an interstate consortium of leading health systems, to focus on the sharing of best practices in clinical care and achieving efficiencies. For additional information, please visit www.HackensackMeridianHealth.org.