Phoebe CMN official talks to civic club
Children’s Miracle Network has raised millions for children at Albany hospital
By David Shivers
ALBANY — Phoebe Putney Memorial Hospital is one of six Children’s Miracle Network facilities in the state of Georgia, according to Becca Miller, Phoebe’s CMN coordinator.
Miller recently recounted the history and activities of CMN at the hospital for the Kiwanis Club of Dougherty County.
PPMH has been affiliated with CMN for 20 years, Miller told the civic club. In that time, more than $4.5 million have been raised for specialized equipment and programs for babies and children treated at the hospital. CMN funds, according to Miller, are used to support Phoebe’s neonatal intensive care unit, the in-patient pediatric care unit, the emergency center, pediatric therapy at Phoebe Northwest and pediatric behavioral health.
In 2016 alone, $269,803 benefited Phoebe children’s services. Of that, $74,504 was through local fundraising and $195,299 came from corporate partners, ranging from Ace Hardware to IHOP to Walmart.
Funds raised helped with the purchase of a neonatal intensive care unit twin transporter ($176,072) and pediatric ER equipment at Phoebe Sumter in Americus. Other items have included pediatric youth beds, an NICU giraffe bed, intensive suite therapy, pediatric occupational therapy equipment, iPads for pediatric therapy at Phoebe Worth, NICU privacy screens to promote breastfeeding and kangaroo care, reclining kangaroo care chairs, NICU-specific stethoscopes, child life distraction tools, pediatric playroom toys, pediatric behavioral health group room improvements, pediatric feeding/swallowing equipment, and a pediatric vein viewer.
What is today known as the Children’s Miracle Network was founded in 1983 by entertainers Marie Osmond and John Schneider (best known as Bo Duke from TV’s “The Dukes of Hazzard”), along with Mick Shannon and Joseph G. Lake through a telethon that raised almost $4.8 million that was distributed to 22 children’s hospitals. CMN has grown to 170 member hospitals across the U.S. and Canada that provide an estimated 32 million treatments annually to kids.
Local donations stay local to provide critical treatments and health care services, pediatric medical equipment and charitable care for youngsters. Since 1983, according to Miller’s presentation, CMN hospitals have raised more than $5 billion, most of it $1 at a time through the “Miracle Balloons” often found at retail outlets.
People or businesses interested in getting involved with Children’s Miracle Network at Phoebe are encouraged to contact Miller. Among opportunities for volunteers are events such as the Jingle Bell Jog, the NICU Graduation Party, “May is for Miracles” hospital tours, sponsorships and donations.
Miller can be contacted at (229) 312-1491, or via email at [email protected].
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