Today we’d like to introduce you to Jeanne Mrozek.
Hi Jeanne, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
I spent my career in the NICU as a neonatologist, working alongside families at one of the most overwhelming and fragile moments of life. Over time, I began to recognize something that many people outside the unit don’t always see: families don’t just need medical care—they need support that helps them get through the days and the uncertainty, and staff need resources that allow them to keep showing up with compassion and consistency. After years of witnessing both what helps and what falls through the cracks, I found myself still answering the same question: How do we better support NICU families and the people caring for them—both within and beyond the hospital walls? In 2016, that question became the reason I started Minnesota Neonatal Foundation.
Our goal has always been simple: provide meaningful support to NICU families and support NICU staff so no one has to face this journey alone. The work has grown into something I’m deeply proud of, and every year reinforces what I believe—that compassionate care is not only clinical. It’s also community, resources, and steadiness when families need it most. Today, as a retired neonatologist and founder, I’m still driven by one thing: honoring the courage of families and strengthening the system that cares for them.
To be clear, my background and training did not prepare me for this work. I was both naïve and ignorant about what it took to start a foundation and to sustain it. In retrospect, that ignorance was probably helpful, as I might not have started had I known the road ahead. But I knew then, and I know now, that our mission is spot on.
Each summer our mission is validated when we host our annual NICU Family Reunion. This free event is open to all Minnesota NICU graduates, their families, and NICU staff. From our very first Reunion in 2018 the turnout has exceeded our expectations. Each Reunion has had over 400 attendees, some traveling from as far away as Arizona and Tennessee, all to reconnect with the NICU staff who walked alongside them through the journey of good days and bad days. There are hugs, tears, and memories shared. Everyone leaves with their heart full!
We offer other programs as well. We have funded closed-circuit cameras for NICUs so parents can keep in visual contact with their baby even when they cannot be at the hospital. We have planted Book Nooks in several NICUs so parents can connect with their baby while sharing a little bit of normalcy. We host Parent-Child play groups so NICU-graduate families can connect with each other while their young kids can play in a safe, structured place. We provided 12-15 hours/week of NICU Music Therapy, which has been shown to improve infant regulation, support bonding, and promote earlier discharge.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Like many things in life, our biggest obstacles revolve around trust, communication, and money.
From the beginning of the Foundation’s existence, we have struggled to be trusted. Not by NICU families and staff, but by the hospitals and hospital foundations where we are trying to fulfill our mission. As a physician with a front-row view of daily hospital work, I understand that there will never be hospital money available to support families and staff in the way we envision. The hospital’s mission is to provide medical care. Our mission is to support those who provide the care as well as those who receive the care. Unfortunately, our tiny nonprofit was viewed as a competitor for donors and it took several years until we were seen as a partner, not a threat. We still struggle with that, but time, an ongoing commitment to our vision, and building trust are helping that to improve.
As a small nonprofit with a volunteer board of directors, we have struggled both to communicate within our team as well as with our audiences. As the President, I take full responsibility for that. We have spent most of our time creating and executing our programs. Unfortunately, we have neglected to give ourselves a “shout out” in the process, so while people are aware of the programs, they are unaware of where they come from.
The non-profit world is competitive. There are countless nonprofit organizations, all with wonderful, important missions. Yet in order to provide any support to families and staff, we need to raise money. We have tried various tactics including grant writing, Give to the Max Day, year-end requests, and a couple of gala-like events. All were successful to some degree, but our signature event, Pints for Preemies, has performed well year-over-year. When I started the foundation, I wanted our events to be fun, social and meaningful. I didn’t want our donors and friends to develop event-fatigue, that weary feeling you get when someone invites you to a ball or formal fundraiser. I wanted people to have FOMO for our events. And I think we have been successful. We have held casual fundraisers at several local breweries or food halls in the Twin Cities. The energy is high, the volume in the room is noisy, and people open their pocketbooks to support our cause. But we have to continue to find ways to be creative in our fundraising. Our near-term goals are to develop a better donor engagement process and to continue to search out new streams of revenue.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I spent 28 years as a neonatologist. My first job was in Kansas City Missouri. We returned to Minnesota to be closer to family. I joined Minnesota Neonatal Physicians and stayed with them until I retired.
What do you like and dislike about the city?
Not sure how to answer this.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.neonatalfoundation.org
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mnneonatalfoundation/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NeonatalFoundation
