Events benefit Huntsville Hospital Foundation’s Melissa George Neonatal Memorial Fund

HUNTSVILLE – More than 1,100 babies require the specialized care of our Regional Neonatal Intensive Care Unit each year. Huntsville Hospital Foundation’s 17th annual Miracle Bash and Swim for Melissa events are once again raising money to provide lifesaving equipment and services for these sick and premature infants at Huntsville Hospital for Women & Children.

There are two ways to get involved and support the NICU:

1. Swim for Melissa on Saturday, July 30: Kids ages four to 14 can participate in a day of family fun from 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at Hampton Cove Pool. Teams of eight swim as many laps as possible in five minutes, with prizes awarded to the top fundraising teams.
2. Miracle Bash on Friday, August 5: Guests 21 and up can enjoy a night out for a great cause, 5:30 to 9 p.m. at Stovehouse. Miracle Bash will feature a buffet dinner, cocktails, games and one of Huntsville’s largest silent auctions.

Proceeds from both events benefit the Melissa George Neonatal Memorial Fund at Huntsville Hospital Foundation, and will literally breathe life into future NICU babies. Funds raised will provide high-tech respiratory equipment, including ventilators for the sickest babies and nasal cannulas for those who need just a little extra help breathing. Donations will also purchase items that offer comfort to families while they visit and bond with their babies, including specialized bedside recliners.

“For 17 years, countless sponsors and guests have helped our family raise money to provide almost every piece of lifesaving equipment in our Neonatal Intensive Care Unit,” said Amy George, co-founder of the Melissa George Neonatal Memorial Fund at HHF.  “It means the world to us that members of our community open their hearts to help us honor Melissa’s life, while ensuring that other NICU babies have access to the equipment and care they need. We hope to see you later this summer as we try to raise enough to meet the unit’s current priority needs.”

Miracle Bash tickets are $85 and can be purchased at bidpal.net/bash2022. To learn more about the 2022 Swim for Melissa or to register your child for $25, visit swimformelissa.org.

The 2021 Miracle Bash and Swim for Melissa events raised a record $265,000 to provide new Giraffe Omnibeds, an infant-driven feeding system and a simulation training doll for the Regional Neonatal ICU at Huntsville Hospital for Women & Children.

About the Melissa George Neonatal Memorial Fund

The Melissa George Neonatal Memorial Fund was established in memory of Amy and Chris George’s daughter, Melissa. In June 2005, Amy gave birth at 26 weeks to Melissa and Ann Catherine. Melissa died just a few hours after she was born, and Ann Catherine was a patient in the Huntsville Hospital for Women & Children Neonatal ICU for 68 days. The fund has provided more than $4.2 million since 2005 to purchase equipment for the NICU and to provide support for families of premature infants.

Huntsville Hospital Foundation

Huntsville Hospital Foundation exists to provide lifesaving technology and meaningful programs that improve patient lives. The Foundation raises essential funding for not-for-profit Huntsville Hospital, Huntsville Hospital for Women & Children, and Madison Hospital through individual and corporate donations, providing more than $4 million in funding for hospital needs each year. For more information, visit huntsvillehospitalfoundation.org.