Monument Health received a major donation to buy new NICU equipment.
The Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust is granting more than $2 million to the Rapid City-based health care system.
Monument officials say it’ll help pay for more than 20 devices to allow newborns have access to care closer to home, including a high-frequency oscillatory ventilator, two transport incubators and a 24-hour EEG machine.
“An infant’s extended NICU hospital stay can lead to months away from home for families, which can be financially and emotionally draining,” said Walter Panzirer, a Trustee of the Helmsley Charitable Trust. “The addition of this equipment will ensure that families in the region spanning South Dakota, Nebraska and Wyoming can access the same top-notch care available to residents of major cities.”
Monument Health President and CEO Paulette Davidson called the gift "transformative."