CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (WFXR) – UVA Health Prince William Medical Center has received a $2 million donation from the Cecil and Irene Hylton Foundation.
The donation will aid in renovating the mother-baby unit and upgrade the hospital’s labor and delivery care capabilities.
Support by the Cecil and Irene Hylton Foundation started in the year 2000 with a $1 million gift which established the Hylton Family Women’s and Children Center.
As the region grows, the need for extra care has increased, and 20 years later UVA Health is working to ensure the community receives proper care. It is also the only Level III neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) in Prince William County.
“Once again, I am deeply impressed by the unwavering generosity of the Cecil and Irene Hylton Foundation in supporting the health and well-being of our community,” said Erik Shannon, chief executive officer of UVA Health’s community medical centers and clinics in northern Virginia and Culpeper. “This contribution to such a vital initiative is not only immensely rewarding for our patients, but also a testament to the Cecil and Irene Hylton Foundation’s commitment to making a meaningful difference. As part of our 10-year strategic plan, we are dedicated to continuously enhancing and optimizing our resources, and this gift is a significant step forward.”
Plan for the unit include the following:
- Enhancing existing patient care areas to accommodate additional patient volume in times of surge to meet rising demand.
- Incorporating the latest innovations in clinical technology and equipment, including ultraviolet incubators and AI-powered diagnostic tools.
- Equipping the facility with the most advanced patient safety, privacy and security tools.
- Enabling more personalized and holistic patient care by incorporating doulas and birth coaches in labor and delivery and increasing access to lactation specialists.
- Improving space design and amenities to align with the latest industry standards and evidence-based labor, delivery, and recovery room best practices, which have been shown to improve patient outcomes and experiences as well as accelerate recovery.
- Increasing accessibility, including for patients and family members with disabilities.
UVA Health is also working to make sure that patient and family support grows through specialized birthing classes, nutrition counseling, case management, social work, mother-baby enrichment programs, and perinatal depression screening. This will enhance support for families before, during, and after pregnancy.
“Philanthropic donations have been a driving force in the creation, and now renovation, of this part of the hospital,” said Felicia Blow, PhD, executive director of the UVA Community Health Foundation. “We are grateful for the Cecil and Irene Hylton Foundation’s donation, which will ensure our NICU remains a trusted lifeline for the littlest patients.”
If you would like to donate you can visit, the UVA Community Health Foundation at Uvahealth.com/givehealth.