Feature Story
Health Center Today, December 15, 2010
NICU Beneficiary of Holiday Generosity
By Carolyn Pennington
A child shows State Police Sgt. Nick Poppitti and Lt. Paul Vance (right) a Dream Collection Horse Family Set, one of the dozens of toys state troopers brought to the NICU this year.
Photo by Tina Encarnacion
‘Tis the season of giving and the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit has received numerous acts of generosity over the past couple of weeks.
Troopers from the Connecticut State Police, led by Lt. Paul Vance, delivered three carts full of toys on Tuesday. Vance’s 4-year old grandson, Gavin Perrone, spent several weeks in the Health Center’s NICU after he was born. Gavin, his older sister, and their mother came along to help pass out the toys and visit with some of the nurses that cared for Gavin.
Deb Feigenbaum, NICU social worker, says the toys are distributed among the siblings of the babies, which the parents greatly appreciate since they often don’t have an opportunity to shop when they are spending so much time at the hospital. “The gifts are left along side the babies’ isolettes so when the brothers and sisters arrive, it’s a wonderful surprise for them.”
Another seasonal surprise came on Monday when volunteers from Bank of America in Farmington delivered “Hearts for the Holidays” - Christmas/holiday cards that are handmade by bank employees. The volunteers delivered the cards to all of the families in the NICU and Newborn Nurseries and spent time talking with the parents. This same group of volunteers provided the NICU with over 100 care baskets for the families this past spring.
The Waterbury Area Mothers of Multiples Club also came through again this year with a generous donation to a mother of twins. Laurie Bastian is actually the mother of two sets of twins. Along with the twins currently at the Health Center, she has 14- month-old twin girls who were also cared for in our NICU. The Waterbury Area Mothers of Multiples Club is a non-profit organization providing support and information to parents of twins, triplets and more. This is the second year the group has donated to a family of twins in the NICU.
On December 9, the annual holiday party given by the March of Dimes NICU Family Support Program was held. March of Dimes volunteers filled the NICU conference room with lots of delicious food and more than 60 parents, grandparents, siblings, volunteers and NICU staff attended the party.
“It was a wonderful party,” said Jeanne Lattanzio, coordinator of the NICU Family Support Program. “It’s a great way for families to take a break, get to know other families and just enjoy the holiday season for a little while.”
March of Dimes NICU Family Support Program hosted a holiday party for families on December 9.
Photo courtesy of the March of Dimes
From back left: March of Dimes NICU Family Support Program Coordinator Jeanne Lattanzio and NICU nurse Cathy Faye with volunteers from Bank of America in Farmington, who distributed holiday cards to NICU families on December 13.
Photo courtesy of the March of Dimes
Connecticut State Police deliver toys to the NICU December 14.
Photo by Tina Encarnacion
Laurie Bastion, mother of two sets of twins, with the generous donation from the Waterbury Area Mothers of Multiples Club.
Photo by Marcia Pasquariello