St. Bernards uses donation to expand NICU

JONESBORO, Ark. (KAIT) - A couple who lost their infant just days after his birth is helping expand the services one Jonesboro hospital provides to its youngest patients.

St. Bernards Medical Center announced Monday it was expanding its Neonatal Intensive Care Unit’s bed capacity by nearly 20 percent.

The expansion was made possible by a donation from Dustin and Callie Kellums to honor their son Luke, who died just weeks after a premature birth.

A look at what the new donated beds will look like, with all state of the art technology. — A look at what the new donated beds will look like, with all state of the art technology.(KAIT)

The NICU provides around-the-clock care to sick or pre-term babies.

Dr. Enrique Gomez has been with the unit for years and said these beds will go a long way to saving lives in northeast Arkansas.

“Being able to help us help other people that is extremely important, especially coming from parents of NICU babies and parents of one of them where the baby had actually passed,” Gomez said.

Since opening in 2010, the St. Bernards NICU has cared for more than 2,500 infants.

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