The Cayuga Birthplace and Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) recently received a meaningful donation from Jerakah Heady of Burdett. Heady presented the $3,300 donation to the NICU in early May, commemorating work that is very personal to her.
An author and entrepreneur from the “Grit and Gratitude” organization, an initiative that focuses on grief and empowerment coaching, Heady hosted the “And She Rises” event in Watkins Glen in March, with a portion of the proceeds benefitting the NICU.
Through her fundraising event, Heady was pleased to share how important it is to have NICU services available, and the benefit of donations to the organization.
Heady’s books include her brand new “The Unsung Lullabies,” telling her personal stories of her experience with love and loss.
“It is an honor and a privilege to be able to support CMC and the NICU with this event. Taking a tour and seeing exactly how they are going to use the funds to provide better services for the babies in this community warms my heart,” said Heady. “I look forward to working with Brenda and Dr. Satish in the future and thank them and the entire NICU staff for all that they do for our community. They are truly angels on earth.”

“We are so honored to have been chosen by Jerakah. We at the Birthplace are in a unique position where we are let into our patients’ lives when they are at their most vulnerable. It is incredibly humbling to get to be a part of someone bringing a life into the world and for them to trust us with their newborn child. Sometimes these little lives need extra assistance and that is where my NICU team steps in and excels,” said Brenda Lange, Director of Maternal Child Health for Cayuga Medical Center. “The funds raised help keep our NICU equipment up to date and the team educated so that we can provide the best quality care to this vulnerable population.”