Delivering Babies Since 1962, Health First’s Cape Canaveral Hospital Officially Transitions Labor and Delivery Care to Viera Hospital

A New History Begins

BREVARD COUNTY, FLORIDA – Since its opening in 1962, thousands of babies have been born in Cape Canaveral Hospital, including one that will forever remain famous for the date, location and time of his arrival (hint … it’s a lot of 321s).   

This month marked a bittersweet milestone as labor and delivery care was officially transitioned from Health First’s Cape Canaveral Hospital to Viera Hospital. And, of course, the stars of this momentous event were the babies themselves, starting with the last kiddos delivered at Cape Canaveral on Friday, Aug. 16.

Hello, World, and Goodbye, Cape Canaveral Hospital!

The last youngsters born at Cape Canaveral Hospital on Friday, Aug.16, were delivered by the same Health First physician, Dr. Aimee Raup.

Kali Rae Jackson, born at 1:50 a.m. to mom Chantelle Foley and dad Delvin Jackson, was actually the next-to-last baby born at Cape Canaveral Hospital. But Kali Rae will forever carry a special historical notation – as she was the fifth of five siblings (all but one of them girls!) born at the hospital.

Mom Chantelle Foley said the special moment nearly didn’t happen.

“She almost didn’t make the cut to be delivered here. If she wasn’t a little early, she would have probably been born at Holmes Regional – and I would have been so sad to not have had her delivered here at Cape. But she made it – she was born here, No. 5,” said Foley.

“I guess because all my other kids were born here, it’s emotional a little bit. I would have been very emotional if she couldn’t be born here because all my other kids were born here, so this is very special for our family and Kali Rae.”

Neo Laws was officially the last Cape Canaveral Hospital baby – arriving at 3:02 a.m. to mom Xiaohong Sun and dad Matthew Laws.

Both mom, who is from China, and dad, who is a Brevard local, are avid kite surfers who enjoyed the pastime on the Banana River – within view of Cape Canaveral Hospital.

“I’ve always wanted to be inside this hospital,” said Matthew. “She kite surfed here before I met her, and then we met on Facebook and started surfing together right out there (in the Banana River.) We high-fived in the river one time, and now here we are, delivering our baby across the street with a view of the beautiful Banana River. It’s just really cool to have this experience with a view overlooking where we’ve spent so much time together.”

“Everybody was really attentive and helpful and caring here, answering any questions we had” said mom, Xiaohong. “And then, of course, there’s the view outside and the river, the cruise ships, and here we are, first-time parents to the last born in this hospital. It’s very special.”

And welcome to the world and Viera, Dallas Bridges!  

Viera Hospital welcomed Dallas Bridges as its first-born baby in its gleaming new Labor and Delivery unit on the fifth floor. Dallas was born at 12:54 p.m. August 21 to mom Lenise Bridges and dad Tyler Bridges.

“We are both natural Floridians and actively serve in the Florida Army National Guard. Tyler is a Brevard county native (to Titusville), and I’m a Tampa native,” said Lenise.

“We are a blended family with each of us having our own children prior to our marriage. With our active military backgrounds taking us to serve in various locations, we are very grateful for the opportunity to have our first child, amongst the four, to be born in Florida, nonetheless the first at Viera hospital – in Tyler’s home county. While we were not expecting – or planning – to give birth to Dallas in Viera’s new unit, it was a nice surprise and we were very happy with the care the staff provided. Being the first baby born here will always be a special moment for Dallas.”

According to Health First OB-GYN Vanessa Dance, MD, who has been delivering babies (including the famous 3-2-1 baby) at Cape Canaveral Hospital for 20 years, the transition to Viera Hospital is an emotional but very exciting time for the north Brevard community.

“It’s an honor to be part of such a dedicated team at Viera Hospital. Over the years, the Birth Suites at Cape Canaveral Hospital have served our community with distinction, welcoming countless Brevard County babies into the world. I’ve had the privilege of delivering babies here in Brevard for over 20 years, and it’s been incredibly rewarding to be part of so many families’ special moments,” said Dr. Dance.

“As we transition to these new Birth Suites at Viera Hospital, I’m filled with excitement for this new chapter. The state-of-the-art facilities represent our commitment to providing a supportive and empowering experience for families. The comprehensive care we offer, from labor through postpartum, ensures that every family feels confident and well cared for. It’s a joy to be part of this new phase and to continue delivering exceptional care in such a beautiful and well-equipped environment,” said Dr Dance.

Officially opened August 21, the new unit at Viera Hospital transitions Labor and Delivery care from Cape Canaveral Hospital as Health First has officially begun construction on a new hospital and medical office complex in Merritt Island, approximately four miles east of the existing Cape Canaveral Hospital.

The Birth Suites at Viera Hospital include 14 spacious rooms for all-inclusive labor, delivery, recovery and postpartum care. Patients will remain in the same room throughout their stay, providing a private space for families. The unit also features two operating rooms.

In synchrony with Labor and Delivery services opening at Viera Hospital, Health First Medical Group will open the doors to its new Vidina Obstetrics and Gynecology office located on Vidina Drive immediately south of the Viera Hospital campus. This new location will immediately begin accepting new patients.

“The planning and coordination that went into a transition of this scale touched nearly every aspect of Health First, from the design and construction teams to our front-line staff, project management and hospital leadership. We’ve designed this new 14-bed unit to provide an exceptional experience for our expectant mothers and their families during this special moment in their lives,” said Dustin Boring, Viera Hospital Administrator.

One notable benefit of the new unit is patients will receive the entirety of their care in a single room, which includes the labor, delivery, recovery, and postpartum phases of their stay.

“This means that from the moment they arrive until their discharge, families will stay in one comfortable, well-appointed room, creating a seamless and supportive environment. Additionally, the unit is fully equipped with two dedicated operating rooms for cesarean sections and other procedures, as well as a nursery to provide specialized care for newborns as needed. These amenities ensure that we can offer comprehensive and high-quality care in a single, convenient location,” Boring said.

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