Brendan's Buddies

About the Life-saving NICU Equipment

All the funds raised by Brendan's Buddies to date have been used to purchase life-saving infant ventilators for the UMass Memorial NICU. These ventilators (attached to Omni beds) help tiny infants breathe by supplying just the right amount of air to the lungs, as they struggle to survive in those first crucial weeks and months of life. But these are no ordinary ventilators, according to Larry Owens, the Chief Respiratory Therapist. These ventilators are the "Cadillac" of what's available. Expected to last 25 years, these units use state-of the-art technology to provide the small amounts of air required by newborns weighing from 1 lb. to 10 lbs. The NICU has 43 beds, including 27 intensive care beds in three pods designed for maximum privacy with soft lighting, noise reduction, and state of-the-art-care technology. A 16-bed Continuing Care Nursery eases the transition to home as baby's health and well-being improves. All this equipment is extremely important to the survival of the at-risk infants in the care of the NICU. Realizing just how vital this highly specialized equipment is, Brendan's Buddies continue to raise funds for the NICU.