I originally signed up for the Charlotte Marathon to run with my friend Myles, who is helping captain Team Hemby this year. It seemed like a good personal challenge (my first marathon) and an opportunity to help a great organization.
Not long after I began training though, our daughter, Perry, was admitted to Hemby Children’s Hospital with respiratory issues. Thankfully, she recovered quickly, but that one night gave us a glimpse of what Hemby means to so many families who are there for much longer. The care, compassion, and dedication of the nurses, doctors, and staff were remarkable.
If our small effort through Team Hemby can help make that experience even a little bit better for those parents and children, and provide more resources for the incredible Hemby staff, then it’s worth every mile.
The funds raised through the Novant Health Charlotte Marathon are helping fund the building of the new Pediatric Intermediate Care Unit (IMCU) at Hemby Children’s Hospital. The pediatric IMCU will bridge the gap between the PICU and Novant Health Hemby Children’s Hospital’s general unit, ensuring a smooth transition and continuity of care, while reserving resources in the PICU for the sickest children in our community. The unit will have the same leading-edge equipment available in the PICU and has an increased nurse to patient ratio to meet the unique needs of the patient population. A study by the Society of Critical Care Medicine shows the specialized care given in an intermediate care unit can significantly reduce the likelihood of readmission.
As Novant Health Hemby Children’s Hospital transforms to continue meeting the growing needs of the community, this six-bed unit will serve an additional 2,100 children each year. Every detail is dedicated to ensuring the health and wellness of patients and their families and the IMCU will continue the under the sea theme seen in Novant Health Hemby Children’s Hospital, extending the nurturing and comfortable environment.
