Baptist Health celebrates record-breaking donation

LEXINGTON, Ky. (WKYT) - Baptist Health is celebrating a record-breaking $5 million donation to its NICU and mother and baby services.

The donation is the largest ever single gift received by the Baptist Health Foundation.

The money comes from the nonprofit organization Kosair for Kids.

“It made sense for us to do it in our 100th year, the $5 million gift that is going to advance the ball for our next generation,” said Kosair for Kids President Barry Dunn.

The money will be spent among the eight Kentucky Baptist Health hospitals.

One-third of the gift goes toward a NICU project in Hardin County. Another third will be applied to the motherhood connection program so families in low-income situations can start off on the right path. And a third of the donation will fund equipment in the NICU and pediatric care.

“We’re happy to partner and make sure that the equipment that’s needed to take care of those babies is available,” said Dunn.

This money will provide warmers for babies who can’t regulate their body temperature and isolates to keep the humidity up in the room for premature babies.

More monitors, facilities and private rooms will be available.

This is personal for Dunn. Twelve years ago, his son Conner was in the NICU, he was born with cerebral palsy.

“I can remember the importance of having the care there and available to make sure he did survive, to make sure the equipment was there, to make sure that ventilator was there.”

One in four Kentucky children is born in a Baptist Health facility.

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