Miracle Bash to help expand Huntsville Hospital for Women & Children Neonatal ICU

Proceeds benefit Huntsville Hospital Foundation’s Melissa George Neonatal Memorial Fund

HUNTSVILLE – Huntsville Hospital Foundation’s 14th annual Miracle Bash and Swim for Melissa events are once again raising money to provide lifesaving equipment and services for sick and premature infants in Huntsville Hospital for Women and Children’s Regional Neonatal Intensive Care Unit.

Guests can enjoy a buffet dinner and exclusive silent auction at Miracle Bash on Friday, Aug. 2, from 6:30 to 10:30 p.m. at the Huntsville Botanical Garden Grand Hall. For the first time ever, the Miracle Bash silent auction is fully electronic, and bidding will take place on guest’s cell phones.

Then, kids ages four to 14 can participate in a day of family fun at Swim for Melissa, Saturday, Aug. 3, from 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at Hampton Cove Pool. Teams of eight will swim as many laps as possible in five minutes, with prizes for the top fundraising teams.

Proceeds from both events will benefit the Melissa George Neonatal Memorial Fund at Huntsville Hospital Foundation, and will be used to add 10 additional NICU patient bed areas to meet the growing need.

The Huntsville Hospital for Women & Children Neonatal ICU was initially built to hold 45 babies, but routinely cares for more than 60 babies on any given day. This expansion will ensure patients and families from across the region continue to have access to the innovative equipment and lifesaving care the unit provides.

“Our community and the need for care are growing, and our NICU must expand to continue meeting the needs of sick and premature babies across our region,” said Amy George, co-founder of the Melissa George Neonatal Memorial Fund at HHF. “By participating in these events, you are helping to make this multi-million dollar expansion possible. Chris and I are thrilled that the fund and our philanthropic community get to play a large role in this much-needed project.”

Miracle Bash tickets are $75, and can be purchased at bidpal.net/miraclebash19. To learn more and to form a team for the 2019 Swim for Melissa, visit swimformelissa.org.

The 2018 Miracle Bash and Swim for Melissa events raised a record $184,482 to purchase a Voyager Isolette and ventilator for Huntsville Hospital’s Kids Care 2 transport ambulance.

About the Melissa George Neonatal Memorial Fund

The Melissa George Neonatal Memorial Fund was established in memory of Amy and Chris George’s daughter, Melissa. In June 2005, Amy gave birth at 26 weeks to Melissa and Ann Catherine. Melissa died just a few hours after she was born, and Ann Catherine was a patient in the RNICU for 68 days. The fund has provided more than $3.2 million since 2005 to purchase equipment for the NICU and to provide support for families of premature infants.

About Huntsville Hospital Foundation

Huntsville Hospital Foundation is a not-for-profit organization, established in 1978 as the fundraising arm of Huntsville and Madison Hospitals. It strengthens relationships between the hospitals and the community. The Foundation accepts gifts—both individual and corporate—on the hospitals’ behalf, and works to fund present and future equipment and program needs. For more information, visit huntsvillehospitalfoundation.org.