“Preparing for a new baby is a time of great excitement,” said Ginger Breedlove, Ph.D, Chair of the March of Dimes Prematurity Campaign in the Greater Kansas Chapter. “Families don’t expect anything to go wrong, but each year approximately 1 in 10 newborns wind up in a NICU because they are born too soon, too small or with a birth defect. The experience can be overwhelming for families.  NICU Family Support aims to make the journey through newborn intensive care smoother and less traumatic for families.”

The project is an important component of the March of Dimes Prematurity Campaign, an eight-year, $75 million effort to address the growing problem of premature birth, which is the leading cause of newborn death in America. The causes of nearly half of all premature births are unknown, leaving all families at risk.

Nationally, March of Dimes NICU Family Support receives multi-year funding from Pediatrix Medical Group and MedImmune, Inc.  Additional support is provided by Dey, L.P. In Kansas City financial support is also being provided by March of Dimes Karbank Fund, Saint Luke’s Hospital Foundation and MedImmune Inc.

In 2004, in the Kansas City Metro area more than 2,500 newborns stayed in a NICU, some for hours and some for months. Saint Luke’s NICU cared for more than 400 babies in 2004.

“The March of Dimes selected Saint Luke’s as its partner for NICU Family Support because of its reputation for excellence and the quality care it provides to babies,” Greg Alejos, State Director of the Greater Kansas Western Missouri Chapter of the March of Dimes, said. “Saint Luke’s does incredible work every day to care for sick babies and their families. We want to support their efforts.”

“We are excited to have been chosen as a March of Dimes NICU Family Support site and are looking forward to this collaborative effort to support parents throughout their stay with us,” Diana Reiser, Director of Inpatient Perinatal Services.  “This is a wonderful opportunity to work with graduate NICU parents and staff to develop programs specific to the needs of our families.”

Incorporating NICU families into every level of the project, March of Dimes NICU Family Support addresses the needs of families throughout the hospitalization, during the transition home, and in the event of a newborn death.  NICU Family Support also includes a professional development component to provide hospital NICU staff with support and educational opportunities.   The project will be led by a March of Dimes staff person who has had personal or professional NICU experience.  An advisory committee made up of graduate NICU parents and NICU professionals will be involved in selecting activities and providing direct services to current NICU families.  Each NICU family will receive a March of Dimes Parent Care Kit including informational books and materials to chart their baby’s milestones.
 
The March of Dimes is a national voluntary health agency whose mission is to improve the health of babies by preventing birth defects and infant mortality. Founded in 1938, the March of Dimes funds programs of research, community services, education, and advocacy to save babies and in 2003 launched an eight-year campaign to address the increasing rate of premature birth. For more information, visit the March of Dimes Web site at http://www.marchofdimes.com/ or its Spanish Web site at http://www.nacersano.org/.