To honor Maria Shriver for her devotion to children and family, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger surprised his wife with a special birthday present in 2004: a gift to name the Maria Shriver Nursery at Saint John’s Health Center.
"I've never seen Maria happier than she was at the moment she gave birth to each of our four children here at Saint John's," said Governor Schwarzenegger. "She always says that motherhood is her first and most important job. This nursery is a fitting tribute to her belief in the importance of children and motherhood."
The Maria Shriver Nursery has the capacity to care for 24 babies at one time. The Irene Dunne Guild NICU in the Maria Shriver Nursery is being expanded to care of additional newborns that have critical care needs.
As a further tribute to Maria, the Legacy of Children Wall is designed to incorporate her words of inspiration to young parents. The wall is located in the family-friendly waiting area adjacent to a child-friendly viewing window that enables young siblings to get their first glimpse of their new brother or sister in the Maria Shriver Nursery. NexGen, another support group of the Health Center, raises funds for the Legacy of Children program in support of maternal and child services at Saint John’s.