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Welcome! 
The NICUPs (Neonatal
Intensive Care Unit Parents) are a group of dedicated volunteers who
work hard to make the NICU experience an easier one for families. Each
of the parent volunteers were once in the St. John's Mercy Medical Center
NICU with children of their own. Their personal experience enables them
to offer vital emotional support to current NICU families. Support begins
as early as mid-pregnancy for mothers on bed rest, continues through
their time in the NICU, and is on-going until the family feels support
is no longer needed.
The NICUPs provide support in many ways: one-on-one, parent group meetings,
breastfeeding support, parent library with on-line resources, and support
for those who are expecting again after an experience in the NICU. The
NICUPs work closely with NICU staff to help make the NICU an environment
where families can come together and focus on their child's recovery.
The NICUPs rely solely on donations and in the past have been able to
provide Medela Symphony Breast Pumps for each bedside in the unit, new
recliners, car seats, clothing and much, much more. The NICUPs provide
a voice for the families going through the NICU and with their fundraising
efforts are able to give those families the support and resources they
need to make their stay in the NICU a little easier.
The NICUPs know that the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit is not where anyone
expects their pregnancy journey to end, and we are there to offer the
type of encouragement that can only be offered by those who have been
through this.
Recently awarded the Becky Hatfield Family Support Award by the National
Perinatal Association, the NICUPs assist the Family Care Coordinator
at St. John's Mercy Medical Center in providing resources and emotional
support to NICU families. Some of the support programs include: Mercy
Mother's Milk Club for breastfeeding support, weekly gatherings for mothers
who are on hospitalized bed rest, parent group meetings to discuss topics
such as common complications while in the hospital and taking your preemie
home, as well as an online resource program called Baby Care Link.
In addition to direct financial contributions, the NICUPs fund our support
efforts with our annual fundraising campaign, Letters from Santa. In
the past, we have been able to raise enough money to purchase breast
pumps for the unit, provide a developmental care seminar for our nursing
staff, as well as cover our other support activities. |