Athena’s Journey Toward Home
Emily and Athena Sunderland
When Emily and Robert Sunderland lost their home in the 2025 Palisades Fire, they packed up their three young children and drove to Santa Barbara seeking safety and stability. Emily was pregnant with their fourth child, and although the evacuation was frightening, they hoped the upheaval would be temporary.
But just days later, Emily began experiencing complications. At only 28 weeks, her water broke, and the family rushed to Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital. Their daughter, Athena, was born soon after—tiny, fragile, and in urgent need of highly specialized care.
For 65 days, Athena was nurtured in the Cottage Children’s Medical Center Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). There, among the soft beeps and gentle hands of her care team, she received the support she needed for breathing, growing, and gaining strength. The Sunderlands found comfort in a team that understood both the science of premature birth and the emotional weight of their journey.
Cottage’s NICU is one of the most advanced in the area and the only neonatal surgical facility on the Central Coast. The unit is designed to care for babies with complex medical needs, and its family-centered approach ensures parents are never far from their child’s side.
“Everyone made us feel like we were part of the care team,” said Emily. “The nurses and doctors supported us every step of the way. Athena wouldn’t be here without them.”
Robert and Emily Sunderland with children
Rose, Athena, Teddy, and Leo
Today, Athena is healthy, happy, and thriving at home in Santa Barbara. She is surrounded by siblings who adore her and parents who say they still feel a sense of awe when they think back on how far she’s come.
“The level of compassion we experienced was incredible,” Robert said. “Cottage feels like a dream hospital.”
Every day, thanks to generous community support, families like the Sunderlands can count on Cottage Hospital’s NICU to provide expert, compassionate care for our region’s most vulnerable newborns.
Your gift helps create a place of care and comfort—a first home—for the smallest patients and their families when they need it most.
Support Children & Families
