Newborn Son’s Health Scare Prompts Parents to Give Back

Andrea and Spencer Turner were excitedly expecting the birth of their first child in early 2022. The young professional couple had painted the nursery a pale blue in anticipation of welcoming home their new son, Isaac.

A recent ultrasound revealed the baby was doing well and Andrea was scheduled for her next ultrasound a few weeks later. Obviously, she didn’t keep that appointment as Isaac decided to enter the world on Jan. 16, 2022, at 32 weeks’ gestation.

“When I delivered my son, there were a few surprises along the way and he was taken to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at the Margot Perot Center for Women and Infants at Texas Health Dallas,” Andrea explained. “He gave us a bit of a scare a couple of days in, but overall, we had a really great experience with his doctors and his nurses. One of my nurses was especially wonderful. She shared with me her similar experience with her child being born early in a rather unexpected fashion. It was validating and reassuring to have a nurse who could not only listen to my concerns but honestly answer my questions, as a fellow mother of a preemie and as a NICU nurse, about how my son was doing.”

Based on her wonderful experience with the NICU, Andrea decided to remember Texas Health Dallas in her estate plan.

“I kept thinking if this had happened to me and Isaac 100 years ago, we both would probably have died. It’s incredible for me to know that we have the miracle of modern medicine at this institution dedicated to taking care of fragile babies. I’m privileged enough to be able to give back and my circle of family and friends are also able to assist us in giving back to the NICU. I felt it was a small way to say thank you to everyone who helped Isaac during his stay,” Andrea said.

Including the Texas Health Dallas NICU in their estate planning may seem rare for such a young couple. But both Andrea and her husband, Spencer, are attorneys. In fact, Spencer specializes in estate planning law.

“It’s absolutely critical that people our age realize they aren’t invincible and they don’t have all of the time in the world,” Andrea said. “Estate planning isn’t just for you. It is truly for your family. It’s for your parents and loved ones who will have to assist you if you become incapacitated, or God forbid, if you pass away suddenly. Future problems can be avoided by putting an estate plan into place now. You can always change and update it later. Estate planning is the loving thing to do.”

For more information on including Texas Health in your estate plan, contact The Foundation Office at 682-236-5200 or WendyGilbert@TexasHealth.org.