The Neonate Fund

Neonate

is a new born baby who can be born mature or premature, healthy or ill.
The neonatal intensive care unit is a unit that provides special care and attention to babies who require additional support because they are born early or with particular health conditions.

15 m

premature

Premature babies

Every year, 15 million babies are born premature

Of those, over 1 million die primarily in developing countries, due to complications of preterm birth, which is the leading cause of newborn deaths.

1M

premature die

Premature babies

Every year, 15 million babies are born premature

In addition to the high rate of mortality, premature babies are at increased risk for newborn health complications and face lasting disabilities, such as neurodevelopmental delay, learning and behavioral problems, cerebral palsy, visual and hearing problems and others.

Launching ofthe Neonate Fund

1.9%

born premature in lebanon

per year

2012
90.167

Ministry health

total birth in lebanon

In Lebanon, 9.6% of neonates are born premature, according to statistics from the National Collaborative Perinatal Neonatal Network (NCPNN), a hospital-based network that represents 35% of the national birth toll. These account for approximately 8,656 neonates per year, taking into consideration that the total number of births in 2012 was 90,167 as reported by the Ministry of Public Health. Causes of prematurity are not well defined yet and most preterm births happen spontaneously and unexpectedly and require immediate medical attention.
This is where the eagerly anticipated happy event of having a healthy newborn turns into a devastating experience full of great uncertainty and anxiety.

In addition to the indescribable emotional toll, this news also imposes a great financial burden on many families who struggle to pay for the intensive medical care that their child so desperately needs.
Five mothers, whose newborn babies required immediate medical attention due to prematurity or illnesses upon birth, joined efforts to establish the Neonate Fund.

GoaL of the fund

the fund’s goal
is to help impoverished parents of neonates

by admitting their premature babies to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at the American University of Beirut Medical Center (AUBMC).
The NICU is a newly expanded and renovated state-of-the-art facility staffed with highly skilled nurses and doctors.
The Neonate Fund, a charitable initiative that supports at-risk newborns launched its activities with an inaugural fundraising gala dinner at BIEL in Beirut on December 15, 2011. Over 800 prominent figures from all walks of life turned up at the event to support the cause.
Thanks to the generosity of all the supporters and sponsors, the Neonate Fund was able to raise enough money help the needy families whose children were being cared for at AUBMC’s NICU.

Support
by the fund

The Neonate Fund raises money to support the needy families of neonates admitted to the NICU at AUBMC. These neonates are either premature or sick and require special care for days, weeks or even months in the NICU. The fees are extremely high and range from 1,500 to 2,500 USD per day.

1500

2500

USD

collaborations & recognitions

November 17 World Prematurity Day

among 18 NGO’s

The Neonate Fund was among 18 NGOs who received official invitations from Her Excellency Mrs. Lama Tammam Salam to the award ceremony honoring NGOs that take care of sick children in Lebanon. The ceremony took place at the Grand Serail on the June 11, 2014, and was widely covered by media.
On November 17, 2012, global partners and parent organizations worldwide marked the second annual World Prematurity Day, building momentum for the Born Too Soon movement that will ensure life-saving solutions are put into action. More than 60 countries, among which was Lebanon, held events to raise awareness on the global problem of preterm birth. Representing Lebanon, the Neonate Fund organized an awareness campaign that was held at Le Gray Hotel in Downtown Beirut.
Five thousand purple balloons were released by the parents of prematurely born children, as well as the physicians, nurses and volunteers of the Neonate Fund.

The American University of Beirut’s administration building, College Hall was also lit purple in honor of World Prematurity Day. There was also widespread media coverage during and after World Prematurity Day.
The “Talk of the Town” TV program on MTV, the “Helwi El Hayat” and “Kalam Ennass” programs on LBCI and “Alam Al Sabah” on future TV hosted the Neonate Fund founders as well as neonatologists from AUBMC to talk about prematurity and the Fund. Lebanese MTV ran a full day of coverage on prematurity which included interviews with the founders, physicians, nurses and mothers of newborns who were born premature and supported by the Fund.