Last year, nearly 6,000 babies were born at the MemorialCare Center for Women at Miller Children’s Hospital Long Beach and Long Beach Medical Center, the rate of births is expected to continue with 10 percent of those births deemed high-risk. The Center for Women sees more than 10,000 patients a year and with nearly 250,000 women in the greater Long Beach area, it is clear that there is a need for expanded maternity and overall women’s health services. As the needs of the community grow, the Center for Women is committed to continuing to provide the best environment for delivery of healthy babies. To meet this community need, the Center for Women embarked on a $14 million capital campaign project.
The project includes a new perinatal special care unit that has nine private patients rooms and one semi-private room all designed for high-risk pregnancies, a new welcome center and waiting area, a new fetal diagnostics room, an expanded postpartum unit, a renovated newborn nursery and capital equipment including ultrasound machines and a video laproscopy tower. The Center for Women project is nearing completion and aims to continue providing high-quality health care for mother and baby and to provide a safe and comfortable environment for its patients.
“I am thankful to the Memorial Medical Center Foundation and the hospital administration for making an investment into the future of the Center for Women,” says Martin W. Muth, M.D., chief of staff of the MemorialCare Center for Women. “I also am excited to be a part of the Dancing for Our Stars cast at the upcoming annual gala to raise funds to contribute to this great cause.”
To help support the Center for Women revival and the acquisition of advanced technology, the Memorial Medical Center Foundation is holding its 4th annual “Dancing for Our Stars” fundraising gala on Saturday, Feb. 11 at the Westin Long Beach.
At the “Dancing for Our Stars” gala, six community members will be paired with professional dancers or their significant other to entertain the audience and compete in a dance competition all while supporting a good cause. This gala, unique in and of itself, raises funds not through live and silent auctions, but by collecting votes from the crowd. Last year this event netted $280,000 and event director, Michele Roeder, is hopeful to surpass that this year. All proceeds will benefit the MemorialCare Center for Women at Miller Children’s Hospital Long Beach and Long Beach Medical Center.
Dancers include Supervisor Don Knabe and his wife Julie, Lisa Ramelow and Geoffrey Nighswonger, Martin W. Muth, M.D., chief of staff, MemorialCare Center for Women and wife Sandra, Jeanna Mingram and Anthony Addotta, Ryan Choura and former Miss Long Beach Ashley Prinzen and Susan Nicholson and Michael Fawver. The competition will be judged by Justin Rudd, Julie Jones and Rick Bryson. Equal weight will be given to the pre-event fundraising, event night fundraising and judges’ scores to crown the overall winner. Once the winner is announced, all attendees will be invited to the dance floor to strut their stuff.