Hackensack University Medical Center Foundation to Host 6th Annual NICUSTRONG Walk to Advance Care for Smallest Patients 

Event to raise funds to support advanced treatment, technology, equipment and patient programs 

On Sunday,  September 10, Hackensack Meridian Hackensack University Medical Center Foundation will host its 6th Annual NICUSTRONG Walk at Van Saun Park in Paramus. Proceeds from the event will support the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at Hackensack Meridian Hackensack University Medical Center. 

“Our NICU at Hackensack University Medical Center provides the highest level of care for newborns with complex medical needs,” said Lisa Renee Eiland, M.D., FAAP, chief of Neonatology at Hackensack University Medical Center. “Our patients are small but mighty warriors, and every dollar raised through NICUSTRONG has a profound effect on the care our babies and their families receive. Support allows us to ensure we have the most advanced technology and most compassionate, highly-trained teams to provide the best-in-class care every day. I look forward to this year’s NICUSTRONG Walk!”

Generous support from NICUSTRONG’s community of donors have funded innovative treatment, technology and equipment; research and support for patients and families, including research into respiratory issues in premature babies at Hackensack Meridian Children’s Health at Joseph M. Sanzari Children’s Hospital and Hackensack Meridian Center for Discovery and Innovation; the purchase of life-like manikins to facilitate professional development for nurses; and social programs for our parents. This year, funds will support the Beads of Courage program, a program where beads are given to commemorate a patient’s  achievement of milestones and moments of courage during the NICU journey.  . and a new literacy initiative called Reach Out and Read, which will provide books to families to promote language development and family bonding.

Hackensack University Medical Center has also partnered with the March of Dimes to implement its NICU Family Support Program®, which improves patient experience by  providing  families with virtual and in-person access to caretaker  education, ongoing quarterly team member  education in patient-centered care and ready access and support from March of Dimes experts.  . It also provides families with access to the Compass by March of Dimes™ app as well as various print resources. 

Support from the March of Dimes has also enabled the hospital to recruit a dedicated family support coordinator, who provides valuable guidance and resources to families as they adjust to life in the NICU. 

“Since our first walk in 2018, our dedicated community of team members and partners, along with patient families and their loved ones, have raised nearly $500,000 to make a powerful impact in our NICU,” said Richard Knupp, vice president of Development, North at Hackensack University Medical Center Foundation. “We are all NICUSTRONG, and we truly look forward to seeing our patients and their care teams come together for another successful year in benefit of our NICU.”

To participate in this year’s NICUSTRONG Walk visit GiveHMH.org/NICUSTRONG. To learn how you can support Hackensack University Medical Center’s NICU, contact Richard Knupp at richard.knupp@hmhn.org.