Today I went to a fundraising auction with my dear friend Sophie. She is a nurse at PICC in Kent, Washington, The Pediatric Interim Care Center.  This is where babies, born addicted to various and sundry substances, go to be weaned of their addictions and given a healthy start in life. The center opened 20 years ago and the stories they tell are amazing.  I shed more than a few tears during the lunch.

One of the highlights for me were the guest speaker.  The speaker was Jodie Sweetin who was Stephanie on the show “Full House”.  I vaguely remember the show but when I saw her greeting guests I did recognize her.  She has an amazing story to tell, being a child born of mom who was a drug abuser, her dad being killed in a prison riot, passed around from relative to relative and finally adopted.  Then she herself became addicted to drugs. She learned about PICC and asked if there was anything at all that she could do to help the center so she came to speak.  She was just great.

Another highlight was hearing this couple speak. They were there with their son Mathew who is a PICC graduate. To learn more about PICC and their babies, watch this video.  If you want to help, they have a wish list on their website.  This facility is the only one like it in the country.  They treat these babies at a cost of $150 per baby, per day.  The typical hospital charges $2000+ per baby per day.  It is in the taxpayer’s interest to keep this facility open.  But more than that, it is in the interest of these tiny babies, to keep the doors of PICC open.

Sophie, thanks for sharing your job with me.