Mary Greeley Foundation Received Grant From Variety - The Children's Charity
AMES, IA – The Mary Greeley Foundation has received a grant from Variety - the Children’s Charity to fund specialized equipment for Mary Greeley Medical Center’s Emergency Department (ED) and NICU units, serving vulnerable infants.
The Mary Greeley Foundation is a nonprofit organization serving Mary Greeley Medical Center, a 220-bed regional referral center based in Ames, Iowa. As the major healthcare provider in Story County, Mary Greeley serves a 13-county region in central Iowa. While a majority of patients come from Story, Boone, Greene, Hamilton, Hardin and Marshall counties, they serve patients from across Iowa. As nearby birthing centers have closed, the Maternal Child Services department is serving a larger area with more diverse communities and needs than ever before.
The Variety grant will be used to purchase two GE Giraffe Incubator Carestations for Birthways/NICU and a GE Panda Warmer for the ED - for admissions of newborns.
The Giraffe Carestation is similar to a small “pod” that a distressed newborn is cocooned in. It regulates temperature, noise and light. It also allows easy access for the physician. This equipment is more specialized and utilized with our sicker babies and those who need phototherapy.
NICU equipment for newborns, like the Panda Warmers, has traditionally only been found in the Birthways/NICU unit, transporting the mobile equipment to the ED when needed. Having a permanent Panda Warmer for the ED will provide an added safety measure to ensure there is not a delay in care to the smallest of patients. This equipment is used for thermoregulation, starting IVs, lumbar punctures and monitoring. According to pediatric hospitalists, the Panda Warmer is essential and will provide more advanced care for all babies that come into the Emergency Department needing supportive, and at times, lifesaving care.
“We are so thankful for the long-standing partnership with Variety – the Children’s Charity. This year, after moving into our new Birthways/NICU unit and seeing an increase in the number of births and also the number of newborns in distress, we knew that we needed additional equipment in order to fully serve our littlest patients. When Variety awarded us this grant, they met the need in both the Birthways/NICU unit and the ED. We could not be more grateful,” said Amy Dagestad, director of Maternal Child Services.
About Variety – the Children’s Charity of Iowa
Variety - the Children’s Charity is dedicated to improving the lives of children who are underprivileged, at-risk, critically ill or living with special needs. Grant funding is provided to programs and initiatives that directly impact the well-being of children in our community.
For more information on Variety grants and programs please visit varietyiowa.com.
