Aspirus NICU receives $128,000 grant from Greenheck Foundation

WAUSAU, Wis. – The Aspirus Health Foundation recently was awarded a $128,164 grant by the B.A. & Esther Greenheck Foundation for the purchase of two newborn transport isolettes.

The isolettes, also known as transport incubators, act as a mobile intensive care unit for babies. They will be used in the Anya Marie Jackson Newborn Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at Aspirus Wausau Hospital to transport premature and critically ill newborns. One isolette will be used for internal transfers and the other will be used on the Aspirus MedEvac helicopter for external transfers.

“We are very grateful for this gift because it will help ensure the safe and timely transport of babies who need specialized care,” said Sue McDonald, NICU nursing supervisor. “We currently have one isolette that we use for internal transports and another that we use in the helicopter and ambulances. These additional isolettes will allow us to be able to effectively transfer twins and handle two transports back-to-back.”

An additional benefit offered by the new isolette that will be used in the helicopter is that it has an updated design, allowing it to fit better into the aircraft. The design is sleeker than the current model and gives the flight crew additional room to work. With the new isolette, the Aspirus MedEvac helicopter can expand its reach and provide additional newborn transports from other hospitals in the area, including Aspirus’ hospitals in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula.

The Aspirus NICU is one of only two level 3 units in the region, and the only one with private rooms for newborns and their parents. With the new isolettes, Aspirus can better handle the regular newborn transfers it receives from facilities throughout north central Wisconsin and the U.P. of Michigan.

“When the Board of Trustees of B.A. & Esther Greenheck Foundation decided to support the development of the Anya Marie Jackson NICU, it did so with the intent of wanting to provide the greater Wausau area with the best newborn intensive care unit possible,” said Brian Gumness, Executive Director of the B.A. & Esther Greenheck Foundation. “The additional gift of the new isolettes further enhances Aspirus’ Anya Marie Jackson NICU as one of the best medical facilities available to care for premature newborns in the area.”

The Aspirus NICU has provided care for babies since 2006. In August 2009, Aspirus opened the newly expanded Anya Marie Jackson NICU. It features 14 beds and is the only NICU in the region to utilize a private-room care model, which provides an ideal healing environment and added privacy to newborns and family.

Media Contact: Greg Aune, 715.847.0479