Stan & Jody Reynolds Innovative Care Unit Dedicated at Blank Children's Hospital's NICU

Stan & Jody Reynolds Innovative Care Unit Dedicated at Blank Children’s Hospital’s Variety Neonatal Intensive Care Unit

Des Moines, Iowa – To honor the legacy of Stan and Jody Reynolds, and their commitment to Variety –the Children’s Charity and the Variety Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at Blank Children’s Hospital, a new Innovative Acuity Care Unit has been dedicated in their honor.

Each year, more than 5,000 babies are born at UnityPoint Health – Des Moines. This is more babies than anywhere else in Iowa. Transport teams (LifeFlight helicopter and ground ambulance) have experienced increased volumes because many Iowa communities do not have the expertise needed to care for complex newborns.

“With more babies comes an increase in NICU admissions,” said Dr. Samir Alabsi, Neonatologist and Medical Director of the Blank Children’s Hospital NICU. “At Blank Children’s Hospital, the Variety NICU has been and continues to be leading the way in cutting-edge and creative ways of caring for these newborns. In response to continually improving outcomes and a mission to provide the best care, a high acuity zone was created in 2023.”

Through Variety, the Reynolds family, and generous memorials, Stan and Jody’s legacy of generosity continues with a $500,000 gift to name this dedicated area in the NICU – Stan & Jody Reynolds Innovative Acuity Care Unit.

Stan and Jody, along with Variety, have been longtime supporters of Blank Children’s Hospital. Stan died in July 2022, and Jody in June 2019. This special Innovative Acuity Care Unit is designed for the smallest and most critical newborns needing highly specialized and advanced care. Helping newborns have the best outcomes and care possible has always been a passion of Stan & Jody, and this special unit is a celebration of their impactful legacy.

Every aspect of care provided in the Innovative Acuity Care Unit will be impacted to:

• Improve outcomes, giving newborns the best quality of life and safeguarding their futures.

• Care for all sizes and gestational ages of critical care need infants with our most experienced team –not just for our community, but for the state of Iowa.

• Provide innovative care by enhancing the education, certification, and training of designated nurses and doctors for this specialized area.

• Continue to advance state-of-the-art technology, equipment, and resources.

• Establish a safe environment for families during a difficult time.

In 1972, Stan and Jody had an infant daughter, Brigid, who died at Blank Children’s Hospital. At that time, they donated four rocking chairs to help provide comfort to parents. To honor Brigid’s life, they helped start Variety and as a result were life-long supporters of Blank Children’s Hospital.

For more than 50 years, the NICU medical specialists have saved the lives of thousands of premature and sick infants. In doing so, they have also saved thousands of families. Variety has been a partner with the Blank Children’s Hospital NICU since 1974. Their ongoing commitment has helped grow, renovate and advance neonatal care for babies and families.

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Blank Children’s Hospital is a nonprofit organization providing comprehensive pediatric care, dedicated to meeting the unique needs of children from across the state of Iowa.

About Variety – the Children’s Charity of Iowa Variety – the Children’s Charity is dedicated to improving the lives of children who are underprivileged, at-risk, critically ill or living with special needs. Grant funding is provided to programs and initiatives that directly impact the well-being of children in our community. For more information on Variety grants and programs, please visit varietyiowa.com