Ascension St. John Preparing To Close Pediatric Intensive Care Unit

A Tulsa mother is devastated to learn the pediatric intensive care unit at Ascension is closing. Each November, Jenna Fogg brings a birthday cake to the St John PICU. This year would have been her baby's 20th birthday and she's sad she can no longer celebrate there.

Jenna Fogg said her baby girl, Amanda Grace, was a fighter. She was born with Edward Syndrome - a rare disease that's often deadly.

"Her heart didn't close, and that's what ultimately took her life," Fogg said.

Little Amanda Grace spent her five weeks of life at St. John. - most of it in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit. It's a place that is special to Jenna.

"Working with the children is their calling and they do it beautifully," said Jenna.

St. John announced last month it's closing the PICU and general pediatric unit. It's investing $27 million to expand the Adult ICU.

They'll add 110 beds across three of their hospitals. St. John will close the 22 beds in the pediatric unit but the neo natal intensive care unit will stay open.

"Every November for the last 19 years, this year would have been 20 years, I have taken a cake to celebrate her birthday," said Fogg.

Jenna said bringing birthday cakes to honor her girl every year is healing for her and it's a joy for the nurses and doctors too.

St. Francis will now be the only hospital in Tulsa with a PICU. They realize it'll be devastating for families with ties to St. John. However, they say St. Francis will offer the same care and all families are welcome.

"Given the opportunity to show them if you take care of children, it doesn't matter where, they did it well at St. John and loved them the way we will here," said Clinical Manager Becky Reinholz.

Jenna said she hopes someone at St. John will rethink this decision.

"We need this PICU, this one right here," she said.

St. John's pediatric unit is closing on April 30th. They said adding more adult intensive care space will make sure people get the critical care they need in the future.