3rd Annual Walk For Winnie Exceeds Expectations
September 30th marked the 3rd annual Walk For Winnie, which was again an outstanding success. Hosted at SeaWorld Orlando and presented by Panera Bread, more than $128,000 was raised through online fundraising, exceeding this year’s goal.
Close to 2,000 people participated in the event including many past Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) graduates and their families, nurses, and doctors.
“Walk For Winnie not only provides the NICU much appreciated support, but it is also a chance for the staff to reconnect with the patients and families who put their trust in us during a very vulnerable time,” explained Dr. Jose Perez, Corporate Medical Director of the NICU. “I look forward to the event every year knowing there is such a positive response and upbeat atmosphere.”
The NICU at Winnie Palmer Hospital is the largest single-site NICU in the world and one of the busiest in the country. Thanks to generous support from donors and events like Walk ForWinnie, more than 1,800 critically-ill infants are cared for every year, and more than 40,000have been treated since it was founded at Orlando Health Orlando Regional Medical Center in1975. The facility is equipped to provide the highest-level of care for high-risk newborns, including babies born prematurely, with congenital heart disease, infections or various other serious conditions.
Thanks to many generous sponsors, an additional $113,000 was raised to help the NICU care for even more tiny babies. The top sponsors are listed below.
“Walk For Winnie not only provides the NICU much appreciated support, but it is also a chance for the staff to reconnect with the patients and families who put their trust in us during a very vulnerable time,” explained Dr. Jose Perez, Corporate Medical Director of the NICU. “I look forward to the event every year knowing there is such a positive response and upbeat atmosphere.”
The NICU at Winnie Palmer Hospital is the largest single-site NICU in the world and one of the busiest in the country. Thanks to generous support from donors and events like Walk ForWinnie, more than 1,800 critically-ill infants are cared for every year, and more than 40,000have been treated since it was founded at Orlando Health Orlando Regional Medical Center in1975. The facility is equipped to provide the highest-level of care for high-risk newborns, including babies born prematurely, with congenital heart disease, infections or various other serious conditions.
Thanks to many generous sponsors, an additional $113,000 was raised to help the NICU care for even more tiny babies. The top sponsors are listed below.
- Presenting Sponsor - Panera Bread
- Host Sponsor - SeaWorld Orlando
- Opening Ceremony Sponsor - Pediatrix Medical Group, an affiliate of Mednax
- Media Partner - WFTV Channel 9 & Community Connection
- Awards Ceremony Sponsor - JetBlue
- Beverage Sponsor - Coca-Cola Beverages Florida
- Finish Line Sponsor - Southeast Produce Council
- Miracle Maker Sponsor - Wawa
To see photos from the event, go to the Flickr album.
