Gail Bright and Barbara Stewart, both nurses with Nurses for Newborns of Tennessee, take a look at some of the donated items at the baby shower. (photos by Dana Johnson)
VUMC baby shower brings gifts for newborns in need
Kim and Fred Miller, back, pose with Dr. Pat Temple and third-year medical student Elise Cornet at the Nurses for Newborns baby shower this week.
Dollars, diapers, formula, toys and more filled tables adorned with pink and blue balloons inside Langford Auditorium on Monday, as the local Nurses for Newborns program, supported by the Vanderbilt community, celebrated a baby shower to collect donations for newborns in need.
Among the guests were Fred Miller of the Tennessee Titans and his wife Kim Miller, director of the local program. The Millers brought Nurses for Newborns to Tennessee when Fred left the St. Louis Rams. Nurses for Newborns is founded and headquartered in St. Louis. The Millers donated nearly $1 million to create the program to help families in Middle Tennessee, as well as donating Kim’s time as director without pay.
Fred Miller said football has awarded him the opportunity to give back to the community. “I think it’s all our responsibility. I was always taught to whom much is given, much is expected. And this is a fine way for us to give back and help others in need,” Miller said.
Dr. Patricia C. Temple, professor of Pediatrics and co-director of the local Nurses for Newborns program, says people feel good when they can give things to new babies, especially babies who really have a need. “We’re serving over 600 families and we expect that will double in the next year. All of our supplies are donated,” she said.
Nurses for Newborns is a national home visit agency educating at-risk families to help prevent infant mortality, child abuse and neglect. The home-based program offers positive parenting tips and free supplies from its donation bank to help families in need care for their newborn child.
Elise Cornet, a VUSM third-year medical student, who helped plan the shower, said the money and gifts the shower generated are greatly appreciated. “But aside from the gifts, this was also an opportunity to inform the entire campus about Nurses for Newborns and pique the interest of medical and nursing students, and get them involved in home visits,” Cornet said.
The baby shower was organized by the School of Medicine’s Pediatrics Interest Group, with the help of students from both the School of Nursing and the School of Medicine.