March 11, 2008

Dothan, Ala.-based Christian radio station WIZB-FM, HIS Radio 94.3 , brought a mountain of clothing donated by its listeners to the premature babies in the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) Hospital Regional Neonatal Intensive Care Unit/Continuing Care Nursery (RNICU/CCN). The clothing donation program came about in 2007 when, as part of its 10th anniversary celebration, the station granted wishes to listeners. This year's donation was delivered Wednesday, March 12 at 10:30 a.m. at the UAB Hospital Continuing Care Nursery (CCN).

Dothan's Mark Miller wished that the premature babies in RNICU/CCN would have regular baby clothes to wear during their stay. Miller's daughter Mary Beth was born prematurely and spent time in UAB's RNICU. While she was in the RNICU, Mark noticed the difference it made seeing her dressed in actual baby clothes. "I remember the positive feeling my wife and I had the first time we were able to put an outfit on Mary Beth." The WIZB-FM, HIS Radio 94.3 staff was so moved by the babies and families in UAB's RNICU/CCN that they decided to make the clothes donation a yearly event.

The under-construction UAB Women and Infants Center, scheduled to open in 2010, will house a new RNICU/CCN. With this facility, UAB will be one of the largest RNICU/CCN units in the country and one of the first hospitals in the Southeast to offer single room neonatal intensive care.