March of Dimes and Random Acts of Flowers Partner To Give Encouragement, Hope To Mothers of Infants in Neonatal Intensive Care Units Across the Country
Knoxville, Tenn. (PRWEB) May 06, 2016 -- The joy associated with Mother’s Day is mixed with worry and fear for new mothers those whose babies are fighting for their lives in neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) across the country. For the first time ever, the March of Dimes and Random Acts of Flowers are joining together to honor these women who spend their Mother’s Day beside a crib surrounded by lifesaving equipment or peering through a glass window at a baby they have yet to hold.
Almost 1,000 beautiful bouquets will be delivered this weekend to mothers of infants in neonatal intensive care units nationwide, with volunteers from Random Acts of Flowers preparing the arrangements and volunteers from the March of Dimes making the deliveries to provide a simple moment of kindness, encouragement and hope to these women and their families. The deliveries will take place in more than a dozen hospitals in Chicago, Knoxville, Tampa Bay, and Silicon Valley.
“It has been said that motherhood is the hardest job you will ever love, and that is even more true for mothers of infants who are born sick or prematurely” says Sterrin Bird, SVP & Chief Development Officer with the March of Dimes. “As an organization committed to improving the health of babies by preventing birth defects, premature birth and infant mortality, the March of Dimes wants to recognize new moms who tirelessly camp in the NICU to share precious moments with their babies in the first days, weeks and months of their little lives.”
Larsen Jay, founder and CEO of Random Acts of Flowers, added, “Delivering a dose of joy to those lacking support or who are often forgotten during a healthcare crisis is at the core of Random Acts of Flowers’ mission, so this outreach to moms in the NICU is the perfect way for us to commemorate Mother’s Day.”
Overall, by recycling and repurposing flowers through its four branches and growing volunteer base, Random Acts of Flowers has delivered more than 130,000 bouquets to individuals in hospitals and senior care facilities across the country since its inception.
One volunteer who will be making the deliveries this weekend is Rosalyn Vaughan, who six months ago was one of those mothers anxiously waiting to take her newborn twins home from the NICU at University of Tennessee Medical Center in Knoxville.
“You really can’t fathom the sense of helplessness and fear you have as a parent in those first days and weeks,” Vaughan said. “You cling to anything that gives you encouragement and hope. What we are doing will provide a little bit of that to these mothers and these families.”
Harvard studies confirm that flowers inspire optimism, joy, hope and healing.
March of Dimes is the leading nonprofit organization for pregnancy and baby health. For more than 75 years, mothers and babies have benefited from March of Dimes research, education, vaccines, and breakthroughs. Premature birth is the #1 killer of babies in the U.S., with 1 in 10 babies born too soon (before 37 weeks of pregnancy). Babies who survive often face lifelong complications. Learn more at marchofdimes.org or nacersano.org.
Random Acts of Flowers Chicago repurposes flowers by engaging dedicated volunteers to deliver beautiful bouquets and moments of kindness to individuals in healthcare facilities across the country. Headquartered in Knoxville, the organization operates branches in Knoxville, Chicago, Tampa Bay and Silicon Valley with a fifth branch to open in Indianapolis this fall. http://www.randomactsofflowers.org
Cindy Cox, Random Acts of Flowers, http://RandomActsofFlowers.org, +1 865-368-3976, [email protected]
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