MORGANTOWN – Members of the Mon Health Medical Center Auxiliary gathered with members of the hospital’s Progressing Through Postpartum Program on Thursday for a ceremonial check presentation.
P3 provides education, care coordination, mental health support, breastfeeding assistance and connections to community resources for mothers and families throughout pregnancy and the first year postpartum – all at no charge.
The auxiliary raised $160,000 for P3.
“The P3 program is near and dear to a lot of the women in the auxiliary,” said auxiliary President Bethann Gamponia. Many members are moms who didn’t have access to this kind of service when they had kids.
The funds came from their second Derby fundraiser – $10,000 – held in May, plus other fundraisers over the past few years, Gamponia said.
Krystal Atkinson, senior vice president for Vandalia Health, said, “Our auxiliary has done an amazing job. … This is a pet project of theirs, really looking at the need in the community.”
Atkinson praised the work of the P3 team, including Jennifer Bender, P3’s perinatal nurse navigator, who helped get the program rolling, and the work of the auxiliary over its many years. “There is a countless amount of things that they have done to really support us.”
