Inova Fairfax Hospital for Children Shows Support for March of Dimes with Participation in March for Babies

Hundreds of Employees Register for April 19 Event

Falls Church, VA – (April 14, 2009) — Inova Fairfax Hospital for Children announced today that its employees will be proud participants in the March for Babies on April 19, 2009 at Reston Town Center, with almost 250 employees, friends and families expected to attend the event. This event is one of 900 March for Babies events that draws nearly 1 million participants each year in communities across the country.

Funds raised by the March for Babies in Northern Virginia support local community programs, including delivery of pre-natal care to underprivileged women, and counseling to families with a baby in a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU).  Donations are also directed into research for prevention of birth defects and premature births.

“The March of Dimes helps us maintain our NICU Family Support Coordinator,” explained Claire Pagano, Patient Care Director, NICU, Inova Fairfax Hospital for Children.  “Because babies can spend three months or more in the NICU, family support and education is essential.  We are committed to excellent care for everyone that passes through our NICU, and we use the feedback from parents to improve the experience for those who follow.”

Inova Fairfax Hospital for Children is home to the largest subspecialty NICU in Northern Virginia.  Nearly 1,200 babies come through the hospital’s NICU each year.  The neonatal mortality rate for infants born at Inova Fairfax Hospital for Children is one of the lowest in the nation.

More information about the event can be found on the March of Dimes website.

Inova Health System is a not-for-profit health care system based in Northern Virginia that consists of hospitals and other health services, including emergency- and urgent-care centers, home care, nursing homes, mental health and blood donor services, and wellness classes. Governed by a voluntary board of community members, Inova’s mission is to improve the health of the diverse community it serves through excellence in patient care, education and research. Inova provides a healthy environment for its patients, families, visitors, staff and physicians by prohibiting tobacco use on its campuses.