Valley moms and babies now benefit from a $150,000 gift from the Fansler Foundation. The funds provide a digital ultrasound system for the Level III neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) and electric breast pumps for the mother/baby unit and high risk antepartum unit at Community Regional Medical Center, as well as equipment, and scholarships for enhanced education in the Mother’s Resource Center on the Community Regional campus.

“The generosity of the Fansler Foundation is helping to buy the equipment needed to support moms and babies and give them a great start in life,” said Mittie Hinz, Women & Children's Service line administrator at Community Regional.

Community Regional serves as the high-risk pregnancy and birthing center for a five-county region. The NICU, which opened in 2008, also has the most advanced technology for the most fragile newborns and babies with special needs.

Also Valley mothers who have need of inpatient and outpatient breastfeeding support can receive it through the Mother’s Resource Center. The Fansler Foundation’s gift to the center will help provide lactation consultants, educational materials such as new videos and a new television to play them on, classes, breast pump rentals and other supplies.

Suzanne Stipe, supervisor of the Mothers Resource Center and inpatient bedside education at Community Regional Medical Center, said she couldn’t speak when she heard about the gift.
 

“Your mouth comes open and nothing comes out. And then I cried, because we have never had anything like that before, and it just helps me to see that somebody in the community thinks we’re important enough to invest in us,” she said.
 

“I just want to use it wisely and help every mom that we can. And again, we don’t turn anyone away. So, if someone needs breastfeeding help, they get helped.”
 

Jennifer Avila-Allen reported this story. She can be reached at MedWatchToday@CommunityMedical.org.