Who We Are

The Newborn Health Initiative represents a coordinated effort of healthcare stakeholders – individuals and organizations – to support legislation that has been introduced in the United States Senate to address the dire gap in our innovation pipeline for neonatal therapies.

We are parents and loved ones, nurses and doctors, researchers and innovative pharmaceutical companies. We are people who recognize, either due to personal experience or professional background, that our healthcare system is failing its most vulnerable constituency – our newborn babies.

​The following organizations support passage of the Promoting Life Saving New Therapies for Neonates Act:

Cheyenne Children's Clinic, Cheyenne, WY

Cheyenne Children’s Clinic has cared for children and families in Wyoming for more than 40 years. Their practice includes pediatricians, advanced practice professionals, counselors and nurses in addition to a support staff of medical assistants, nursing assistants and administrative professionals. Cheyenne Children’s Clinic works together to give children personalized care, with thoughtful attention to the special needs of families.  Cheyenne Children’s Clinic sees patients from birth through 21 years of age.
Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, Atlanta, GA

Managing more than half a million patient visits annually at three hospitals and 27 neighborhood locations, Children's Healthcare of Atlanta is one of the largest clinical care providers for children in the country. Children’s offers access to more than 60 pediatric specialties and programs and is ranked among the top children’s hospitals in the country by U.S.News & World Report. Notably, Children's is recognized for excellence in cancer, cardiac, neonatal, orthopedic and more. As a not-for-profit organization, its mission is to make kids better today and healthier tomorrow. ​
​Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA

The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) is the nation's first hospital devoted exclusively to the care of children. Since our start in 1855, CHOP has been the birthplace for many dramatic firsts in pediatric medicine. The Hospital has fostered medical discoveries and innovations that have improved pediatric healthcare and saved countless children’s lives. Today, families facing complex conditions come to CHOP from all over the world, and our care and innovation has repeatedly earned us a spot on the U.S. News & World Report's Honor Roll of the nation's best children's hospitals.
Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC, Pittsburgh, PA

For more than 120 years, Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC has been a fixture in the Pittsburgh community. Children's is renowned for its outstanding clinical services, research programs and medical education, and has helped establish the standards of excellence in pediatric care. From Ambulatory Care to Transplantation and Cardiac Care, talented and committed pediatric experts care for infants, children and adolescents who make more than 1,000,000 visits to Children’s, its many neighborhood locations, and Children's Community Pediatrics practices each year. Children's has received several national accolades, including placing eighth in the 2015-2016 version of U.S. News and World Report's annual "Best Children's Hospitals" report. 
Children's Mercy Kansas City, Kansas City, MO

Children's Mercy Kansas City is nationally recognized for delivering high-quality, compassionate pediatric care. It is the only free-standing children's hospital between St. Louis and Denver and provide comprehensive care for patients from birth to 21. Children's Mercy consistently is ranked among the leading children's hospitals in the nation, and is the first hospital in Missouri or Kansas to earn the prestigious Magnet designation for excellence in patient care from the American Nurses Credentialing Center.
Council of International Neonatal Nurses 

The Council of International Neonatal Nurses (TM) or COINN is an exciting organization that represents nurses who specialize in the care of newborn infants and their families or have a special interest in this area of nursing. COINN, pronounced just like the money-currency or a coin – acts much like money as a method of exchange of information among countries. COINN is part of the growing international community of nurses that represents a resource for nurses that want to form a national or local organization, create guidelines for care or professional standards or just want advice on neonatal nursing issues.
From Hope to Joy, ​Mahopac, NY

Jennifer Degl started a journal the night her baby was born. Five months later, instead of writing in her journal, she read every page. That’s when she knew she had to tell this story. Her reasons for writing her book "From Hope to Joy" are fourfold: (1) So her daughter will always know how strong she is. (2) So her sons will eventually understand their little sister's story. (3) So families faced with a complicated pregnancy may have hope. (4) So all those who love a micro preemie know that even the tiniest human beings can survive – and thrive. In her memoir, Jennifer recounts the struggles and triumphs of her journey: from the decision to have another child, to the birth of her micro preemie at twenty-three weeks, and this tiny girl’s fight to survive.
Graham's Foundation, Waterville, OH

Graham’s Foundation empowers parents of premature babies through support, advocacy and research to improve outcomes for their preemies and themselves.  In 2014, Graham's Foundation provided peer to peer mentorship to over 100 families and facilitated a highly engaged online community made up of over 25,000 parents and supporters in the US, Canada, UK, Australia, NZ, Ireland, South Africa, India, and Mexico. More than 50,000 people used the resources on the Graham’s Foundation website.
Hand to Hold, Austin, TX

Hand to Hold helps families before, during, and after NICU stays and infant loss by providing powerful resources for the whole family, and most importantly, one-on-one mentoring from someone who has been there. Our resources include in-hospital programs, articles and blogs, social networks, and trained peer mentors. All were designed with the emotional, physical, and social needs of the whole NICU family - including siblings and grandparents.
Infants Remembered In Silence, Faribault, MN

Infants Remembered in Silence (IRIS) is a non-profit organization that is dedicated to offering support, education and resources to parents, families, friends and professionals on the death of a child in early pregnancy such as miscarriage, ectopic pregnancy, molar pregnancy, or from stillbirth, premature birth, neo-natal death, birth defects, sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), illness, accidents, and all other types of infant & early childhood death. 
Kai Jeremiah Foundation, Miami, FL

​Kai Jeremiah Foundation is an organization dedicated to improving the chances of survivorship for micro-preemie/ preemie babies. One of the biggest contributors to premature birth and yet highly under researched is Preterm PreLabour Rupture of Membranes (PPROM) also known as waters breaking before time. It is our mission through research and awareness to change standard protocol regarding the prophylactic treatment of the antibiotic spectrum for PPROM in-utero babies and newborn preemies. In doing so we can prevent secondary effects such as undetected infections which can lead to sepsis, pneumonia and even death.
Lily's Hope Foundation, Coopersburg, PA

​Lily’s Hope Foundation is a non-profit organization that supports babies, children, and their families with unexpected and urgent needs due to premature birth.  They support NICU families by providing them with essential items since they have been unable to prepare for their child’s early arrival.  The foundation works with each individual family and answer their specific needs by providing them with items such as preemie clothes, preemie diapers, car seats or car seat beds, bassinets, gift cards for use toward transportation to the NICU, and much more.
Lucile Packard Children's Hospital, Stanford, CA

Lucile Packard Children's Hospital Stanford is the only network in the area—and one of the few in the country—exclusively dedicated to pediatric and obstetric care. Their entire network’s doctors and facilities bring the Stanford Children’s Health level of extraordinary care to multiple specialty locations, pediatric practices and partner hospital locations across Northern California and the entire San Francisco Bay Area. Their network provides access to over 725 Stanford Medicine doctors across Northern California. 
The Morgan Leary Vaughan Fund, Milford, CT

The Morgan Leary Vaughan Fund for Necrotizing Enterocolitis (NEC) is an all-volunteer, public charity dedicated to promoting public awareness about NEC and the potentially devastating effects it can have on preemies and their families, and to advancing research to prevent, diagnose, treat, and ultimately, cure NEC. Morgan's Fund, named after a survivor of NEC, helps mobilize the parents, advocates, and physicians needed to further these goals and bring us closer to a day without NEC. 
National Association of Neonatal Nurses

NANN is the longest established professional voice that supports the professional needs of neonatal nurses throughout their careers through excellence in practice, education, research and professional development. NANN is your neonatal connection to the strongest and most vibrant community of neonatal nurses.  

Several state chapters of NANN have also expressed their support for the Newborn Health Initiative: 
National Association of Neonatal Nurse Practitioners

Founded by NANN in 2007, the National Association of Neonatal Nurse Practitioners (NANNP) is the only national association dedicated solely to neonatal nurse practitioners. NANNP strives to improve care to neonates, infants, and their families by providing a forum for neonatal nurse practitioners’ communication on clinical and professional practice issues, education, advocacy, and research. 
National Coalition for Infant Health, Washington, D.C.

The National Coalition for Infant Health educates and advocates on behalf of premature infants from birth to age two. NCfIH envisions safe, healthy infants whose families can access the information, care and treatment their babies need. NCfIH is a collaborative of professional, clinical, community health, and family support organizations focused on improving the lives of premature infants and their families. NCfIH's mission is to promote lifelong clinical, health, education, and supportive services needed by premature infants and their families.
National Perinatal Association

The National Perinatal Association (NPA) is a multidisciplinary organization that strives to be the leading voice for perinatal care in the United States. Its diverse membership is comprised of healthcare providers, parents & caregivers, educators and service providers, all driven by their desire to  support babies and families at risk across the country. The organization's shared purpose is to give voice to the needs of all stakeholders so that collectively it can have the greatest positive impact on perinatal care in the United States.
Nationwide Children's Hospital, Columbus, OH

​Nationwide Children’s is creating the future of pediatric health care. Nationwide is one of America’s largest pediatric health care and research centers delivering care for more than one million patient visits each year. Families travel from around the nation and around the globe to access life-saving treatments – many unavailable anywhere else. Nationwide is comprised of 68 facilities extending out across Ohio and beyond. It’s the pediatric expertise every child needs. Here, the future health and potential of all children, is being shaped. Here, doctors and researchers are revolutionizing children’s health and the health of future generation.
NEC Society

The NEC Society is non-profit, 501c3 organization dedicated to reducing the incidence of necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) by bringing together NEC families, researchers, and clinicians, with community stakeholders, legislators, as well as other individuals and businesses, concerned about infant health. Behind the NEC Society are thousands of families from around the world who have been impacted by necrotizing enterocolitis. The NEC Society is well-known and respected in the neonatal field around the world, as it strives to reduce the risks of NEC by engaging families, clinicians, researchers and others to come together to effect NICU practices. The NEC Society works on a national scale, and maintains a strong global and local presence.
NICU Helping Hands, Forth Worth, TX

NICU Helping Hands was created in the summer of 2010 because of the overwhelming need in Fort Worth, Texas for a local organization that could support parents both educationally and emotionally. Their mission is to develop hospital-and community-based programs that provide education and support for families with babies in the neonatal intensive care unit, during their transition from hospital to home and in the event of an infant loss. Since opening their doors, NICU Helping Hands has not only served its local community but has had the privilege of serving families all across the country who are looking for education, support, and a helping hand during one of the most difficult journeys they will ever make.
Novartis

Novartis is a global healthcare company based in Switzerland that provides solutions to address the evolving needs of patients worldwide.  Created in 1996 through a merger of Ciba-Geigy and Sandoz, Novartis and its predecessor companies trace roots back more than 250 years, with a rich history of developing innovative products. Building on this heritage, today Novartis focuses its innovation prowess on addressing the unmet needs of patients worldwide.
Pebbles of Hope, Herndon, VA

Pebbles of Hope is a United States-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit committed to   helping premature babies around the world survive and thrive. By leveraging the power of media, technology and community to provide education and training to parents, birth attendants, and community health workers, Pebbles of Hope is working to give premature babies born in underserved areas an increased chance at survival and the opportunity to lead a healthy life.
PreemieWorld, Arlington, VA

PreemieWorld was created to help bridge the gap between parents and professionals in the NICU, at home and beyond.  With books, videos, and other products and tools, the hope is to make everyone’s life just a little bit easier as the “new normal” is created in the life of the preemie and his/her family.
St. Louis Children's Hospital, ​St. Louis, MO

Founded in 1879, St. Louis Children's Hospital is one of the premier children's hospitals in the United States. It serves not just the children of St. Louis, but children across the world. The hospital provides a full range of pediatric services to the St. Louis metropolitan area and a primary service region covering six states. As the pediatric teaching hospital for Washington University School of Medicine, the hospital offers nationally recognized programs for physician training and research.
Tiny Miracles Foundation, Fairfield, CT

The Tiny Miracles Foundation (TTMF) is a nonprofit charity based in Fairfield County, CT, dedicated to helping families with premature babies. TTMF knows from personal experience that the premature birth of a child can be a shocking, isolating and frightening experience for many families. Although area hospitals are able to meet most premature infants' medical needs, the emotional and other needs of the family during this fragile time often go largely unsupported. The Tiny Miracles Foundation seeks to fill this void by providing support, information, services and supplies to the families of premature infants regardless of race, religion or national origin, during and immediately following their hospital stay.