By James Keith
The Center for Women and Infants (CMN) at Medical Center Hospital (MCH) revealed the new Children’s Miracle Network balloon on Tuesday, located at the entrance of the building. The project reached its conclusion after 11 years of planning.
MCH has been a CMN hospital since 1987, receiving funding for varying groups across the hospital. CMN partners with local members of Odessa such as Walmart and Sam’s Club and has raised hundreds of thousands of dollars each year they’ve been partnered with MCH.
balloon at the Medical Center Hospital Center for Women and Infants. (James Keith|Odessa American)
Samantha Serrano, the program manager for CMN, said the unveiling of the balloon is another massive step for the program and its fundraising.
“It’s a game changer for us, I think a lot of people in our community are still very much unaware of what Children’s Miracle Network does here for their local community,” Serrano said. “I don’t think they understand that when they give back to their local CMN hospital it stays here, it doesn’t go anywhere else, it stays in the Permian Basin to bring awareness and to bring back funds for their, you know, maybe even just their neighbor. It may not directly impact them but it brings back funds to support the high standard of care that we want to get here at Medical Center.”
Now under the full branding and label of a CMN hospital, Serrano said the hope is increased awareness and local contributions, ensuring that children can be treated at MCH no matter the cost.
CMN’s executive chair member Kelby Davis provided a personal testament to the impact of the program’s funding. A mother of three, Davis described how CMN has helped with surgeries, intensive care and the general health for all of her children.
“All three of our children were born right here inside this building and all three of them went to the NICU, and that’s not something as a mom you ever think could happen,” Davis said. “You picture them laying on your chest and you having those moments with them, but they all went off to the NICU. But the only thing that made that okay is because I know that we have Children’s Miracle Network resources inside that building with a beautiful team of humans that care so wonderfully for these babies.”
As the partnership between MCH and CMN continues to grow and receive more awareness, the goal between both institutions is still to provide all the support children need.
“I think that they have the resources in that NICU that they need. They have the resources on the pediatric floor that they need,” Davis said. “We have play-dough to bring to a kid after they have surgery or on Halloween Sam brought us all in the NICU just a little piece of Halloween candy from Children’s Miracle Network. Those are the things that matters when your babies need them. Those are the things that matter when you’re kind of walking through the worst of times.”
