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December 7, 2004
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Photo courtesy of Diana Breed-Williamson
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| Students of the Nursing department, Kristin Matsueda (left) and Stephanie Thompson (right) take time to help out with the Baby Blanket Drive. 521 blankets were collected. |
Nursing program assists impoverished mothers
Leilani Sesate
Mesa Legend
Students studying nursing at MCC have succeeded in collecting 521 blankets for the Baby Blanket Project. The project was started by Karon Chapman and her husband, Dr. Robert Chapman, in order to provide incentive for expectant mothers in Africa (where there is a greater than 90 percent infant mortality rate) to seek prenatal care.
“Most moms can’t afford clothing or blankets for their newborns, so the incentive works, ” Huemoeller explained in a thank you note to the nursing students and staff at MCC, who competed against the four levels of nursing students in order to collect the blankets.
The graduating level, Block Four, collected 200 blankets, beating all other levels and faculty. The Student Nursing Association at MCC, including president Adam Rivera and faculty advisors Diana Breed-Williamson and Penny Riddle, planned and carried out the project. Because the blankets are being donated, there wasn’t a need for district approval.
According to Elizabeth House of Tempe, the project’s success will benefit not only the impoverished mothers of Africa, but due to cost and space limitations, large blankets will be given to a new home for unwed mothers. The majority of the blankets will be distributed throughout Kenya to Marine Maternity, a clinic in Nyeri, Kenya, Napusimoru Clinic in the Turkana Region, Kisii Clinic in Southwest Kenya, and Lalmba Orphanage in Matoso. Prenatal care and information on nutrition will also be offered.
Since the donation of blankets is considered a charity, the faculty hopes the airline will allow shipping at no cost, but if that fails, the department that collected the least amount of blankets will foot the bill.
“Nancy brought the need to the Student Nursing Association and the students rose to and above the occasion, making the Baby Blanket Project the most successful service project the nursing department has participated in,” Breed-Williamson said.
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