Festival of Trees Seeks to Raise $2M for Northridge Pediatric Trauma Center

Jaimee Jessop was 3 years old when she nearly strangled on backyard play equipment in the home she shared with her parents and three brothers.

That was March 24, 2009.

Her mother had taken a CPR class just four weeks before, and her brothers, who are in scouting, each played vital roles when she went into full cardiac arrest that day.

Today, Jaimee is 6 and working hard to relearn how to walk, use her hands and talk. But she is alive.

She didn’t become a pediatric death statistic on that fateful day because of the doctors at Northridge Hospital Medical Center, said her mother, Marde Jessop, now a Simi Valley resident.

A celebration of Jaimee’s survival was incorporated on Thursday into a Festival of Trees, being held in Chatsworth, which her mother planned as a fundraiser for the hospital’s pediatric trauma center. The Hospital Foundation festival will continue through Saturday evening. Fully decorated Christmas trees, baby quilts, holiday wreaths, centerpieces and a “sweet shoppe” are up for bid in a silent auction. The event also includes carolers, live bands, hot cocoa, candy and other holiday treats.

Jessop joined the Hospital Foundation board a year after Jaimee’s accident, wanting, she said, to give back. Jessop said that with 2 million people in the San Fernando Valley, a state-of-the-art pediatric trauma center is a must.

She took on the task of establishing an annual fundraiser. Her goal for the Festival of Trees is to raise $2 million every year.

Traumatic injury is the No. 1 cause of death in children, hospital officials said.

At the time of Jaimee’s accident, the toddler lost precious time because she was first taken to an Antelope Valley hospital that didn’t have the resources to help her. Three other hospitals also turned Jaimee away because of the severity of her injuries or because of overcrowding.

In critical condition, she finally was airlifted to Northridge Hospital. “It took Jaimee five hours to get to Northridge,” Jessop said.

“The doctors dreamed and believed what many said [was] impossible,” said Jaimee’s dad, Jeff Jessop. Referring to the purpose of the tree fundraiser, he said, “You are not just bidding on a tree; it’s about bidding on a child’s life.”

Dr. Hooshang Semnani, who wanted to bring a state-certified pediatric trauma center to Northridge, encouraged everyone in attendance to dig deeply into their pockets and hearts.

“[Children] don’t have a vote, they don’t have a voice,” Semnani said.

The money from the festival's silent auction will be used to help keep the Richie Pediatric Trauma Center afloat.

According to the hospital's website: "The Pediatric Trauma Center is named after Richie Alarcon—the infant son of District 7 Councilmember Richard Alarcon—who was traumatically injured in a vehicle accident. Richie’s transport out of the Valley extended beyond the Platinum 30 Minutes [the critical treatment time], and he died in his father’s arms the next day."

Some $2 million of the center’s funding, provided through Alarcon and Los Angeles County Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky, however, could dry up, said Mike Wall, the president and CEO of the hospital.

“Richie funds won’t last forever,” Wall said.

Wall said a majority of the children at the trauma center are Medi-Cal patients and that the hospital recovers only a small portion of its operating expenses.

Hospital Foundation chairman Tony Torres said the next closest hospitals for Valley patients, in terms of pediatric trauma, are Children’s Hospital of Los Angeles or UCLA.

“This allows us to do what we want to do,” Torres said on Thursday. “Ten years from now … you can say you remember when you were here at the beginning.”

The Festival of Trees, 21701 Prairie St., on the northeast corner of Owensmouth Avenue, Chatsworth. Hours: 10 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. Friday; 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday. Silent auction, entertainment, food, desserts and drinks. Admission: $5 for adults; $3 for children ages 3 to 12. For more information, call 818-885-5341, ext. 3.