HUNTSVILLE — More than 1,100 babies require specialized care from the Regional Neonatal Intensive Care Unit each year.
Huntsville Hospital Foundation’s 17th annual Miracle Bash and Swim for Melissa events are raising money to provide lifesaving high-tech respiratory equipment and services for sick and premature infants at Huntsville Hospital for Women & Children.
On July 30, Swim for Melissa welcomes kids ages 4 to 14 to participate in a day of family fun from 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at Hampton Cove pool. Teams of eight swim as many laps as possible in 5 minutes, with prizes awarded to the top fundraising teams.
On Aug. 5, the Miracle Bash is a formal night out from 5:30 to 9 p.m. at Stovehouse. Miracle Bash will feature a buffet dinner, cocktails, games and one of Huntsville’s largest silent auctions.
The 2021 Miracle Bash and Swim for Melissa events raised a record $265,000 for the Regional Neonatal ICU at Huntsville Hospital for Women & Children. This year, funds will go toward high-tech respiratory equipment, including ventilators for babies, and nasal cannulas for those who need extra help breathing.
Donations will also purchase items that offer comfort to families while they visit and bond with their babies, including specialized bedside recliners.
The Melissa George Neonatal Memorial Fund was established in memory of Amy and Chris George’s daughter, Melissa who died just a few hours after she was born. Her twin, Ann Catherine, remained a patient in the Women & Children Neonatal ICU for 68 days.
Since 2005, the fund has provided more than $4.2 million to purchase equipment for the NICU and to provide support for families of premature infants.
“For 17 years, countless sponsors and guests have helped our family raise money to provide almost every piece of lifesaving equipment in our Neonatal Intensive Care Unit,” said Amy George, co-founder of the Melissa George Neonatal Memorial Fund at HHF. “It means the world to us that members of our community open their hearts to help us honor Melissa’s life, while ensuring that other NICU babies have access to the equipment and care they need.
“We hope to see you later this summer as we try to raise enough to meet the unit’s current priority needs.”
Miracle Bash tickets are $85 and can be purchased here.
Register your child for Swim for Melissa for $25 here.
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