When was the first time you learned about Fabella Memorial Hospital? Mine was when I read about how a group of moms who visited and took pictures of the hospital rallied their friends and families to raise funds for lifesaving equipment and basic essentials like diapers. I joined the fundraiser and posted about it here in order to spread the word (http://manilamommy.com/big-help-for-the-little-ones-the-fabella-baby-factory/). That post was way back in 2009.
If this is the first time that you’ve heard or read about Fabella, then please do read on because there is a wonderful opportunity to reach out again to our fellow moms at the hospital. For those who have continued to help, I know you will be more than happy with the news I’m going to share but first let me share some facts.
Most know the Fabella as a “baby factory” – a term that’s really devoid of warmth but it has earned that name because an average of 55 kids is born in the hospital every day. Some have put the numbers to as high as 88. Fabella cares for premature and high-risk babies and is a lifeline to families who cannot afford to pay for care provided by private hospitals.
the daily count
If you look at Fabella now, how can the doctors, nurses, and staff ever provide the necessary care for their patients when a need as simple as a door knob for the NICU goes unnoticed? It’s probably safe to assume that in the list of things to buy, the door knob was least of all priorities.
i was told that next to that sink is a bassinet and yes that is the NICU door with no door knob
Because the babies come first
And the moms need to be supported as their bodies heal and recover
Kangaroo care and the basics of breastfeeding are taught and practiced at the hospital. In a crowded breastfeeding room, these moms are encouraged to nurture their babies to health.
Whatever the conditions are, a new baby will always be a cause for celebration. Even if the birth is done at home, at a lying-in clinic, or at a government hospital like Fabella, what matters most is the love and light that this baby receives from the very first day it is welcomed into the loving arms of his parents.
However, for babies who need more than their mother’s warmth, their families should be able to go to a place that welcomes them with the protection and care that they deserve. Fabella does what it can with its very limited resources. I imagine it bursting at the seams already and the doctors and staff sewing patches over the already tired and frayed fabric.
So this is where we, the private sector comes in. The opportunity to help is here again fellow mommas! I have been asked by NIVEA BABY to be a part of their #CaringBeyondSkincare project. A baby and his family’s first step towards a brighter, healthier future will now be made possible because of NIVEA BABY’s wonderful new project.
This project is a huge undertaking for NIVEA BABY and is the first partnership between the brand and the hospital.
The welcome area, breastfeeding station, intermediate area, maternity ward, and most especially the NICU will all be renovated and will receive Elle Uy’s interior decorating expertise.
NIVEA BABY is known for being the “1st Step to Mildest Protection” and this project is such a wonderful testament to how the brand is living out its promise. NIVEA BABY’s project will allow Fabella babies and their families to celebrate their firsts in a better, happier, and brighter environment.
I will be writing about the project, NIVEA BABY, and Fabella for over the course of a year and I hope that you stay with me in the journey. I am looking forward to visiting Fabella and seeing the little miracles there next week. I know I will cry for sure but I know that at least my visit there together with the other NIVEA BABY moms is a step towards a brighter beginning for these little angels.
Please like the NIVEA BABY Philippines Page to get updates and news on #CaringBeyondSkincare : https://www.facebook.com/NIVEABabyPhilippines
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