Donations Breathe Life Into Michigan Babies

A $2 million donation to Henry Ford Health System's has provided lifesaving help to countless of newborns across the state, including .

The Carls Foundation gave the money to Henry Ford Hospital's neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) through a multiyear grant. The Detroit-based foundation was established by industrialist William Carls and his wife, Marie, following the loss of their only child in infancy.

The donation has already made it possible to upgrade equipment in the NICU, including the purchase of GE Giraffe OmniBeds. The “giraffe beds” monitor the temperatures of babies and warm them if needed. The beds also provide humidity and have a “Baby Susan” mattress that rotates 360 degrees so babies don’t have to be moved. The grant also has provided new infant audio technology to improve early detection, diagnosis and treatment of hearing loss.

While the GE Giraffe OmniBeds have been around for nearly seven years, the NICU at Henry Ford Hospital just recently acquired 10 of them. With the grant from the Carls Foundation, the NICU will soon have 20 giraffe beds.

Elizabeth Stieg, executive director of The Carls Foundation, said the foundation has an interest in children’s health.

“The children need it,” Stieg said. “They didn’t have enough giraffe beds to be efficient.”

Stieg said pediatric care costs more than other departments, such as cardiovascular health, and so it tends to be a loss leader. She also said the hospital receives more sick babies because of the urban setting and high poverty rates in the area.

Babies from all over the state come to Henry Ford Hospital NICU for treatment, causing a need for more giraffe beds, renovations and overall technology.

Without the technology, Wyandotte's Jennifer Dallos said, her daughter Stella wouldn’t have had a chance.

Jennifer was originally admitted to before being transferred to Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit when it was known her baby would be delivered more than four months prematurely and would need neonatal intensive care.

In the future, the grant from The Carls Foundation will make it possible to renovate the NICU, making it more spacious and comfortable for babies, families and staff.

Renovations include remodeling patient rooms to accommodate new equipment and the installation of new ceiling tiles to reduce noise. New wood-grain vinyl flooring, light fixtures, artwork and furniture in patient areas will help create a more homelike environment for families. New hand-washing sinks also will be added for families and visitors, which will help infection control efforts.

Nearly 600 critical and low birth weight babies are cared for each year in the NICU at Henry Ford Hospital.

Henry Ford Health System launched its Envision Campaign in 2007 with a goal of raising $250 million over seven years to transform patient care, expand facilities and enhance clinical programs.

In its fourth year, the campaign is now open to receiving donations from the public. It has raised so far through fundraisers, grants and corporate donations.