Lead Gift From Battaglias Brings Beaumont, Troy NICU Campaign to Successful Close

One of the most highly anticipated projects at Beaumont Hospital, Troy — a new neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) — has met its fundraising goal and is poised to begin construction in 2021, thanks to a leadership gift by Anthony and Marcia Battaglia.

The Battaglias’ $1.3 million investment tops off a multi-year effort to raise $3.1 million to relocate the existing neonatal intensive care unit to a new, much larger space in the Troy hospital’s critical care tower.

“We were very pleased to be able to make this contribution and help move this project to its next phase,” said Anthony Battaglia. “As parents and grandparents, we know how important it is for children to get the best possible start in life. This NICU has such a talented and dedicated staff — and now they will have a center that will help them do even more.”

Even before their generous gift, the Battaglias were supporting the NICU fundraising efforts, hosting the annual Beaumont Bocce Classic at their Palazzo di Bocce facility in Lake Orion. Anthony has used his talents as a former nationally ranked bocce player and the retired founder and chairman of Cunningham-Limp, a commercial construction firm, to make Palazzo di Bocce a highly popular entertainment destination.

Thanks to the efforts of the Battaglias and the event’s co-chairs Mario and Maria Moceri and David and Carol Roncelli, the Beaumont Bocce Classic has raised more than $300,000 for the NICU project over the years.

“When you meet the children whose lives have been saved in the NICU and you meet the parents who endured those days and weeks worrying about their newborns, you realize what an incredible resource the Troy NICU really is,” said Marcia Battaglia.

Upon completion, the new 15,000-square-foot NICU will provide leading-edge care for babies born prematurely or with serious illnesses or conditions, such as breathing problems, respiratory distress syndrome, cardiac conditions, feeding difficulties and more.

Because these infants can spend days, weeks or even months on the unit, the goal is to make the space as welcoming, warm and comfortable as possible for parents and grandparents who may visit or stay with the babies.

The center will offer:

• An abundance of natural light with west- and north-facing windows

• A mixture of private and semi-private rooms

• A spacious nursery and treatment/procedure rooms

• Dedicated space for twins and multiple births

• Expanded private areas for breastfeeding

• Space for family members to relax and rest while visiting

• Larger nurse stations for better access and visibility

In addition, the unit will house the most up-to-date neonatal technology, including high-tech incubators, warmers and monitoring systems.

“We are grateful beyond measure to the Battaglia family and all that they have done to make the new NICU a reality,” said James Lynch, M.D., president of Beaumont Hospital, Troy. “We have been so fortunate to earn the support of many families including the Battaglias as well as dozens of other donors from throughout the community who have worked so hard to ensure that every baby has the best care available to them, close to home.”