Inaugural Bowtie Ball raises $44,800 to support care of newborn babies at St. Vincent’s

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The inaugural Shircliff Society Bowtie Ball a fundraiser established to support St. Vincent’s HealthCare’s mission of protecting the health of newborn babies took place Jan. 27 at Manifest Distilling in Jacksonville, and ultimately raised $44,800.

The event featured live entertainment, food, signature drinks, a tour of Manifest Distilling and a silent auction. Funds raised from the evening's festivities helped St. Vincent's purchase two Panda Warmers, which safely regulate the temperature of babies in the first moments after birth. St. Vincent's plans to add the equipment to its Family Birth Place.

The warmers will be used in private labor and delivery patient rooms, allowing the hospital to protect newborns, resuscitate them during a medical emergency and perform other crucial tasks all in one space.

According to Dr. Ronald Carzoli Jr. of St. Vincent’s, the warmer will decrease complications in babies, increase survival and make it easier to transport them to an intensive care nursery should complications occur during a medical procedure.

At the event, Jane R. Lainer – the president and chief development officer of the St. Vincent's HealthCare Foundation – along with volunteers and event organizers posed for photos with the $44,800 check from St. Vincent’s Shircliff Society, which is a young professionals group aimed at improving health through philanthropy and volunteerism.

Established in 1982, St. Vincent's HealthCare Foundation is a Catholic health ministry seeking to enhance the healthcare needs of Jacksonville through holistic care. According to the foundation's official website, St. Vincent's has provided more than $1 million in annual financial assistance to support its healthcare-related goals. For more information on the organization, visit www.jaxhealth.com/foundation.