Via Christi celebrates building birthday with baby count - KOAM TV 7

Via Christi Hospital celebrates building birthday with baby count

News release from Via Christi Health

PITTSBURG, Kan. (May 18, 2012) – This Saturday, May 19, marks the 41st birthday of the Via Christi Hospital in Pittsburg patient tower building. According to historical hospital archives, on May 19, 1971, the hospital was occupied under the direction of Sister M. dePaul. Since that time, as of Friday afternoon on May 18, 2012, a total of 13,363 babies have been born at the current Via Christi Hospital building. That's an average of 326 births every year since the hospital opened its doors at its current location.

"We wanted to do something special for those babies who might share a birthday with the building, especially since we're one month into the opening of our new Via Christi Women's Center," Director of Community Relations Michael Hayslip said. "The larger unit to serve the women of Southeast Kansas is extremely valuable since we have experienced a 49% increase in births from 2004 to 2011. In the past five years, we've regularly had close to 600 babies born each year."

To celebrate the birthdays of newborns who arrive on Saturday, the hospital is presenting gift baskets to babies that will share the same birthday as the current hospital building. The baskets contain a blanket, assorted lotions and a book entitled Hello, World! More information on the birthday babies and a current count of the number of newborns will follow on Sunday.

###