pediatric patients engaged with a Certified Child Life Specialist.
Helen DeVos Children's Hospital
Your generous contributions to the Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital Annual Fund play a crucial role in supporting over 20 programs that rely on philanthropic support to continue. By supporting this fund, you help ensure that we can provide exceptional care and offer vital services to our smallest patients and their families.
Program highlights
Maternal fetal medicine
As the beneficiary of the 2025 Corewell Health Foundation West Michigan Gala, the maternal fetal medicine program made huge strides last year, raising funding for advanced training, equipment, and operating room upgrades, supporting advanced care of complex, high-risk pregnancies right here in West Michigan. In the six months since Gala, the team been able to expand their knowledge through the purchase of a fetal simulator for twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome and spina bifida surgery, as well as hiring a specialized social worker who will guide and support families navigating complex prenatal diagnoses, ensuring comprehensive care from diagnosis through delivery and beyond. This innovative care has been made possible through generous philanthropy!
Pediatric critical care transport vehicles
In March 2025, Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital launched a new pediatric critical care ground transport program, including two new state-of-the-art ambulances designed to meet the unique needs of pediatric patients. Supported by philanthropy, both ambulances offer an “ICU on wheels” and will be available 24/7 for patient transportation to the hospital. One ambulance is dedicated to the new transport team, serving patients ages 0 to 18, and the other is dedicated to the already-existing NICU transport team, which exclusively serves newborns.
Mother’s Own Milk
The Mother’s Own Milk program was launched in mid-2021 with the goal of improving the provision of mother’s own milk at discharge for NICU infants. Philanthropy enables our NICU to be supported by dedicated peer lactation counselors who work directly at the bedside to assist mothers with pumping and breastfeeding their NICU babies. In 2025, 90% of NICU babies received human milk during their hospitalization, an increase of 5% from last year!
NNP scholarships
Philanthropy is helping address a critical gap in patient care and staffing by supporting three Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital nurses with scholarships to become Neonatal Nurse Practitioners (NNP). The three nurses are currently attending Vanderbilt for an accelerated RN to NNP degree. Two are expected to complete the Masters-level program in December 2026 and one will complete a Doctorate-level program in Summer 2027.
Events
Gala 2025
On May 17, the Corewell Health Foundation West Michigan Gala raised more than $1.4 million for the maternal fetal medicine program. With over 1,800 guests in attendance, the evening also marked the public launch of the Foundation’s WellBeyond campaign, a 5-year, $150 million-dollar campaign with three funding priorities: serving the next generation, supporting the talent of tomorrow, and elevating the standard of care.
of NICU babies were discharged home with the help of the Mother’s Own Milk program.
patients served by pediatric critical care ground transport team since the program launched in March 2025.
pediatric patients engaged with a Certified Child Life Specialist.
of NICU babies were discharged home with the help of the Mother’s Own Milk program.
patients served by pediatric critical care ground transport team since the program launched in March 2025.
pediatric patients engaged with a Certified Child Life Specialist.
of NICU babies were discharged home with the help of the Mother’s Own Milk program.
patients served by pediatric critical care ground transport team since the program launched in March 2025.
pediatric patients engaged with a Certified Child Life Specialist.
of NICU babies were discharged home with the help of the Mother’s Own Milk program.
patients served by pediatric critical care ground transport team since the program launched in March 2025.
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