Ribbon cutting held for renovated NICU Family Room at Saint Francis Medical Center
CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. (KBSI) – Saint Francis Healthcare System celebrated the opening of its renovated NICU Family Room with a ribbon cutting Tuesday morning.
The new NICU Family Room is designed to be a space in the hospital where families of critically ill infants can take a break from the stressors of a long hospital stay.
The room includes snacks, drinks and a play area for children with siblings in the NICU. It is equipped with chairs that convert into beds along with privacy screens for added comfort.
The NICU Family room is located within the Women & Children’s Pavilion at Saint Francis Medical Center. It’s in the region’s largest Level III Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) between Memphis and St. Louis.
It is an 18-room, 36-bed Level III NICU. Hundreds of families pass through its doors each year.
Community partner and local McDonald’s Owner/Operator Andi Hilburn-Vaini along with Saint Francis team members including President and CEO Justin Davison; Foundation Executive Director Stacy Huff; Debby Sprandel, Chief Nursing Officer; Lanae Romann, Director of Nursing – Maternal Child Health, and others spoke at the ribbon cutting.
“These families must often leave the comforts of home for weeks to stay near their child, and we’re excited to be able to provide them with a home away from home to take a nap, do laundry, connect a laptop, get a snack or coffee, or just take a break in a calm environment during such a stressful time,” said Huff.
The project was made possible through a $22,000 grant presented by local McDonald’s Owner/Operator Andi Hilburn-Vaini to the Saint Francis Foundation from Ronald McDonald House Charities of the Tri-State.
“One of the best parts about owning local McDonald’s restaurants is the positive impact we’re able to make in our communities,” said local McDonald’s owner/Operator Hilburn-Vaini. “Every time you visit one of our restaurants, you have the opportunity to support RMHC and local projects like the NICU Family Room.”
Through programs like Round-Up for RMHC, change donation boxes, Happy Meal proceeds, and more, guests to McDonald’s support Ronald McDonald House Charities every day.
In 2023, Hilburn-Vaini’s 28 McDonald’s restaurants across southern Missouri raised $290,134 for the charity!
The original NICU Family Room at Saint Francis was also funded through an RMHC grant presented by McDonald’s nearly 20 years ago.
The evolution in maternal healthcare and needs of local families presented an opportunity for upgrades. Those included relocating the space to make it more convenient for families with babies in the NICU, along with design upgrades to make the space more inviting and functional, as well as new furnishing to keep families comfortable.
