Welcome Baby Bag initiative launched at medical center

GREAT BAY – Little Kiandra was not aware of what was going on around her yesterday afternoon in the conference room of the St. Maarten Medical Center, but yet, with her mom Juana the 4-days-old baby girl was the center of attention during the presentation of the Welcome Baby Bag initiative.

The idea for the welcome baby bag comes from the Rotary Club Mid Isle’s president Veronica Jansen-Webster who received a welcome bag of goodies after giving birth in the Netherlands. The Rotary picked up the initiative and found sponsors to support it: Bebe N Kids, Penny’s, Domino’s Pizza and Divico.

The recipients will find an array of necessities in the welcome bag, but Nurse St. Cyr said during the presentation that the hospital will stay in touch with the mothers for feedback to make sure that the contents of the bag meet their needs.

The Rotary’s president-elect Anjali Manek was present for the presentation, together with Rotarians Denise and David Antrobus. Many of the nurses of the maternity ward were also present.

“The objective is to provide mothers in need with essential items,” Nurse St. Cyr said.

Earlier initiatives for welcome bags were not sustainable because they were given to the mothers of every new born. Now the initiative focuses on specific target groups. At the top of the list are teen mothers, followed by mothers without insurance and mothers who could do with some help based on assessment from the staff at the maternity ward.

The Welcome Baby bags will go to the first mother of the year, to the first mother of the month and to mothers who give birth on Mother’s Day and Father’s Day.

Photo caption: From left Denise Antrobus, Nurse St. Cyr with baby Kiandra and Anjali Manek. Photo Today / Hilbert Haar

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