Thanks to a generous gift from Coweta-Fayette EMC’s Operation Round-Up to the Piedmont Healthcare Foundation, moms with infants in the Piedmont Fayette Hospital Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) will have new, comfortable, supportive seating in the existing Breast Feeding/Pumping Room. The gift has also enabled the NICU to have three additional breast milk warmers.
“Babies at Piedmont Fayette who are admitted to the NICU are often born as early as 24 weeks. Their immune systems can’t protect them from illness and that’s why doctors strongly encourage all mothers of premature babies to breastfeed in order to give them the best start at life,” said Tracie Delally, director of women’s services at Piedmont Fayette. “Human milk has been shown to be very beneficial to premature and sick newborns by increasing growth and preventing disease.”
The new chairs provide comfortable seating with appropriate back support for mothers pumping or nursing their baby. The additional warmers are equipped for high volume usage and will help caregivers feed all patients more efficiently.
Operation Round-Up was founded in 1993 and offers Coweta-Fayette EMC members the opportunity to round up their monthly bill to the next highest dollar. The difference is then contributed to a fund which is awarded to various individuals and organizations in need.
“Our members make it possible to make a difference in the lives of so many others,” said Chris Stephens, CEO of Coweta-Fayette EMC. “That’s why we are glad to be able to help a not-for-profit organization like Piedmont Healthcare, which makes a difference in people’s lives every day.”
More than 2,500 babies are born at Piedmont Fayette Hospital each year and the NICU cares for approximately 250 premature or sick infants and their families each year.
In the above photo, Piedmont Fayette NICU manager Donna Yarbrough shows Operation Round-Up board member Bob Reeves one of the chairs that the gift from the group will provide for the NICU.
