SEARCY—In today’s challenging financial environment, hospitals and other healthcare providers often are trying to do more with less money. Non-profit organizations like the Unity Health Foundation can fill in gaps by doing fundraising to purchase the latest equipment and assist with special projects that allow the Unity hospitals in Searcy and Newport to enhance patient care for the region.

“We come alongside the hospitals and provide additional support and funding for projects like the Cancer Center of Excellence and the New Life Center,” said Cassandra Feltrop, executive director of Unity Health Foundation. “We are here to help ensure that we keep quality healthcare for those in our region for many years in the future.

When the foundation raises funds for specific projects, we free up money in the organization to be used for additional renovations or equipment throughout the organization.”

Currently the foundation is about a year and a half into a public campaign with a goal of raising $1.7 million. At the end of April, $1,120,000 had been pledged to the campaign.

One use of the foundation money has been to enhance services for the New Life Center at the Unity Health-White County Medical Center that currently delivers more than 1,200 babies per year. The foundation has funded improvements that include an infant security system upgrade, new state-of-the-art nursery equipment, an advanced fetal monitoring system and a new triage area with four patient areas.

“We renovated six of the labor/delivery rooms for additional labor/delivery/recovery/post-partum rooms, and made the rooms more family friendly,” Feltrop said. “We also installed new flooring in the nursery and throughout New Life Center.”

Room renovations include a custom built-in surface area with storage, rocking chairs, big screen TVs, increased seating for families and a sofa that folds out for sleep space.

“I recently had a baby in the New Life Center at Unity Health-White County Medical Center,” said new mother Ariel Inman. “My husband and I are thankful for the advanced fetal monitoring system that helped the nurses closely watch our unborn baby during labor.”

Inman’s husband accidentally tested the new Infant Security System leaving the nursery and set off the alarm as he stepped too close to the elevator.

“This is all wonderful technology and makes us feel safe knowing that our local hospital has this level of monitoring and security in place,” Inman said.

One effort that has helped raise money for the New Life Center improvements is the Miracles Happen Every Day Campaign. Feltrop said that campaign is a wonderful way for people to make a gift to the foundation to help support the project which has a positive impact on many people in their region each year.

“We almost all know someone who has had a baby in the Unity Health-White County Medical Center New Life Center or someone who is going to be having a baby in the New Life Center, whether they are our family or friends or people we go to church with,” Feltrop said. “This campaign touches almost everyone in our region.”

The Mother’s Day and Father’s Day Tribute Program are also popular.

“This is a wonderful and easy way for people to give a gift that keeps on giving in honor of or in memory of someone special in their lives,” Feltrop said. “It is an opportunity for us to gain new donors as well as provide additional avenue for current donors to give to an organization they love. This year we also added the ability to give online, and we found that to be successful for Mother’s Day Tributes.”

Feltrop said other medical charities in the state may find, like Unity Health Foundation, that successful fundraising starts with those closest to you including employees, medical staff, board, and the hospital auxiliary.

“These groups are already committed to your organization and they are a great place to start when you are beginning any new program or campaign,” she said. “They will provide support and will help share your story with others close to them.”

To Learn More:

Go online to Unity Health Foundation, http://www.unity-health.org/wcmc-foundation