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For Further information contact: Karen Gordon New Jersey Families Celebrate Their Miracles! LIVINGSTON, N.J., September, 2003---Saint Barnabas Medical Center has a long history of caring for premature infants and is a Level III Regional Perinatal Center, the highest designation attainable. The 48-bed NICU is the heart of the program, enhanced by services such as parent support groups and CPR training, and a high-risk follow-up program. In 2002, over 1,400 infants were treated for prematurity, low birth weight, acute illness, and congenital disorders. When you complement this with the highest quality compassionate care that is delivered by specialized neonatal intensive care unit nurses, it is no wonder that Saint Barnabas Medical Center has one of the best infant survival rates among neonatal intensive care units in New Jersey and the nation. A group of parents who met while their babies were in the NICU were very thankful that these services were available when they needed them and felt they wanted to do something for the NICU that would help families in similar situations. These parents, whose babies were in the NICU for an average of 71 days, knew firsthand that maintaining this kind of 24-hour care – with highly trained professionals and the most sophisticated newborn intensive care technology – was only possible with the support of friends and neighbors in the community. They decided the best way to support the NICU and involve the community was to create a walk to benefit the Saint Barnabas Medical Center NICU and Miracle Walk was born. In October of 2001, close to 500 people gathered in Verona Park for Miracle Walk and over $100,000 was raised for the Saint Barnabas Medical Center NICU. The proceeds were used to purchase the most advanced, user-friendly, and developmentally supportive incubators that create an unsurpassed healing environment for intensively ill infants. According to Shyan C. Sun, M.D., Director of the Saint Barnabas Medical Center NICU, “these units combine a warmer and incubator in one, resulting in the most sophisticated piece of neonatal intensive care equipment available today.” The unique design solves problems for caregivers, babies, and their families by allowing unobstructed access to the baby for the clinicians and uninterrupted bonding time with the family, as the bed platform can be raised and lowered for extended interaction. These incubators offer babies a complete microenvironment capable of better control of ambient light, sound, touch, humidity, oxygen, and thermal support needed for healthy growth and development. The results of the 2nd Annual Miracle Walk were overwhelming – over 1,200 participants raised $180,000 for the NICU. These funds were used to acquire the Neo-trend continuous blood gas monitoring system. This system allows constant monitoring of critical blood gas levels while conserving precious blood volumes in sick newborn babies by reducing repeated blood withdrawing. Ultimately it will reduce the frequency of blood transfusions in these infants. Because withdrawing one milliliter of blood from our tiniest of patients is equivalent to drawing 110 milliliters from an average sized adult, this newest newborn intensive care technology will make a significant impact for our miracle babies. The 3rd Annual Miracle Walk will take place Sunday, October 5, 2003, in Verona Park, rain or shine. The scenic route follows a stroller-friendly path around the park. Participants may walk any distance that is comfortable for them. Please join us at Verona Park to help celebrate all of the miracles that happen every day in the Saint Barnabas Medical Center NICU and to ensure they continue to happen. For more information about Miracle Walk, call (973) 322-4259 or email kgordon@sbhcs.com. [ top ] |
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