BROWNS WIVES HOST SPECIAL DAY AT METROHEALTH MEDICAL CENTER TO SUPPORT THE NEONATAL INTENSIVE CARE UNIT
‘Lady Browns’ and their husbands participate in activities with families in the MetroHealth NICU

The Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) is not exactly the place a parent hopes to spend time with their newborn baby. The NICU is designed to care for critically ill infants requiring medical and surgical attention; and it is the mission of the March of Dimes to find the answers that will prevent the need for babies to receive such care. Parents with infants in the NICU spend countless, nerve-racking hours and sleepless nights fearing for the health and life of their baby. Recognizing the need to support these families, Cleveland Browns players and their wives teamed up with the March of Dimes and committed their 2007 initiative, this past Tuesday, to the families at the MetroHealth NICU, in Cleveland, OH.

The Lady Browns arranged for a fun, hands-on day filled with lunch, crafts and a Daddy Boot Camp. The premier activity of the outing was a group-effort in which the Lady Browns along with the NICU parents, siblings and staff hand-painted rocking chairs. Kmart, a National Sponsor of the March of Dimes, along with Cracker Barrel Old Country Stores donated a total of ten rocking chairs for the outing which will be permanently housed in the NICU. Upon spending time in different NICU’s around the country, the Lady Browns realized how important it is to make the families spending time there as comfortable as possible. Additional craft projects for siblings and families to take home were door hangers, picture frames and pumpkins.

Following lunch, Browns players joined the outing to participate in a special Daddy Boot Camp for fathers. MetroHealth’s own Daddy Boot Camp is offered throughout the year. This class is held to help expectant fathers become more comfortable with the reality of becoming a father and to teach them how to care for a baby- feeding, diaper changing, proper holding, as well as recognizing different types of cries and what they mean. An important goal of the program is to teach fathers that they have a very important role in the caring of their children.

In attendance, representing the Cleveland Browns, were Joe and Meagan Jurevicius, Eric Steinbach, Hank and Danielle Fraley, Kellen and Janelle Winslow, Derek and Lisa Anderson, Simon and Mallory Fraser, Betsy Stewart, Katie Friedman, Maria Cribbs, LaShell Carter, Monicha Wimbley, Seth and Paige McKinney, Amy Myslinski, Sheila Chudzinski and Emerly Caminiti.

Upon the completion of the outing the Lady Browns left behind not only the comfort of soothing rocking chairs, and a clear demonstration of their support, they also distributed gift baskets filled with Browns baby apparel and essential infant care products to the families with babies currently in the NICU. Helping to make this initiative possible were the Cleveland Browns, Cracker Barrel Old Country Stores, Basista Furniture, Kmart, Sherwin Williams and Pat Catan’s Centers. For more information on how you or your organization can assist the March of Dimes reach a day when all babies are born healthy visit www.marchofdimes.com/ohio.

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The March of Dimes is a national voluntary health agency whose mission is to improve the health of babies by preventing birth defects, premature birth 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 a campaign to address the increasing rate of premature birth. For more information, visit the March of Dimes Web site at www.marchofdimes.com/ohio or the Spanish language Web site at nacersano.org. 

The MetroHealth System is one of the nation's largest and most successful public health care providers, offering health care for the most critically injured trauma victim to skilled nursing care for the chronically ill.  Affiliated with Case Western Reserve University since 1914, Metro health continues its long-standing teaching reputation and research excellence, offering vital training and research opportunities for students and physicians.  Metro health conducts cutting-edge research in biomedical sciences, particularly in the areas of cancer, heart, liver and kidney research. For more information about The MetroHealth System, visit http://www.metrohealth.org/.

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:
       
Julie Short     
Media Relations Specialist   
The MetroHealth System   
(216) 778-5797    

Amy Palcic
Director, Communications
Cleveland Browns
(440) 891-7526

Scott Sterneckert
Executive Director, Northeast Ohio Division
March of Dimes, Ohio Chapter
(216) 643-3330    

EVENT PHOTOS:

1- Lady Browns

2- Joe and Meagan Jurevicius

3- Daddy Boot Camp

4- Lady Browns with NICU siblings

 
5- Lady Browns with NICU siblings 2