This post was contributed by a community member. The views expressed here are the author's own.

Health & Fitness

Kaiser Permanente Northern California Region's 1st Baby Turns 70

Lifelong Kaiser Permanente member Nelle Neighbor-Alonzo, resident of El Cerrito, says she’s proud to be KP baby #1.

Seventy years ago this month Nelle Neighbor-Alonzo was born in the nearly completed maternity ward of what was then Kaiser Permanente’s new hospital in Oakland, the first hospital built in what would become KP’s Northern California Region. From the beginning, Neighbor-Alonzo had a deep connection to KP that has continued throughout her life.

Her father, Wally Neighbor, MD, and her mother, Win Neighbor, came to Oakland in 1943 to visit their dear friend Cecil Cutting, MD, and his wife, Millie. They had met several years earlier while caring for Grand Coulee Dam construction workers at Mason City Hospital, where Win was a nurse and Drs. Neighbor and Cutting were part of a group of physicians that would later become The Permanente Medical Group.

Find out what's happening in El Cerritowith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Wally and Win were married, and in August 1943 they were expecting their second child to be born in a few weeks.

But baby Nelle had other plans. Her mother went into labor soon after the couple arrived in Oakland. With no time to spare, Drs. Neighbor and Cutting raced Win to the nearly completed maternity unit at KP Oakland.

Find out what's happening in El Cerritowith free, real-time updates from Patch.

“They didn’t have bassinets yet, so I spent my first few days in a clothing basket,” said Nelle Neighbor-Alonzo.

Part of the KP Family

Kaiser Permanente has been a constant presence throughout Neighbor-Alonzo’s life.

KP co-founder Sidney Garfield, MD, was her godfather (“Uncle Sid” to her) and her father went on to serve as medical director of the Northern Permanente Foundation Hospital in Vancouver, Washington. Family friend Cecil Cutting became the first executive director of The Permanente Medical Group.

Neighbor-Alonzo graduated from the Kaiser Foundation School of Nursing in 1971 and practiced nursing for 7 years before going to work in administration at UC Berkeley and raising 2 children with her husband, Rich.

A lifelong Kaiser Permanente member, Neighbor-Alonzo gained new appreciation for the organization when she was diagnosed with breast cancer in 1999.

“I got great care,” she said. “Now I’m 14 years out of the woods, and I’m doing just fine.”

Retired and Thriving

Now retired, Neighbor-Alonzo volunteers in her spare time and takes Pilates and Tai Chi at her local YMCA. She also enjoys being with her grandchildren, walking her 2 dogs, and working in her garden. Neighbor-Alonzo says she’s eating less meat than she used to, and eating more whole grains, fruits, and vegetables.

“I’m pretty healthy, and I attribute that to really wanting to stay healthy and in shape,” she said.

Even as a young woman, Neighbor–Alonzo said she realized KP’s focus on preventive medicine and keeping people healthy was the way to go.

“I think the Thrive commercials are wonderful,” she said. “I’m so happy it’s gotten to be so big.”

Neighbor-Alonzo says she’s excited that she’ll play a part in the inauguration of the new KP Oakland Medical Center next summer. Her presence will be a reminder of Kaiser Permanente’s visionary founders.

“I’m very proud of Kaiser Permanente,” she said. “It’s an amazing organization.”

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

The views expressed in this post are the author's own. Want to post on Patch?