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Joanne Craig, left, administrative director of Women’s and Children’s Health Services, and Gwen Smith, president of Springfield Hospital and vice president of Community Health Services, welcomed U.S. Congressman Joe Sestak, who stopped by the event to join in the celebration.
CHESTER - Crozer-Keystone’s Women’s and Children’s Health Services department marked the 10-year anniversary of its Healthy Start Program with a “family reunion” celebration on Oct. 20 at Community Hospital in Chester, where the program is based.
At the event, Crozer-Keystone Healthy Start families and alumni gathered to enjoy food, refreshments and special presentations by Healthy Start staff members. U.S. Congressman Joe Sestak made a special appearance to congratulate Healthy Start.
“This is such an exciting time for us,” says Joanne Craig, administrative director of Women and Children’s Health Services. “It’s amazing to see so many families come back to support us, and to see how the children and families have grown.”
Healthy Start is a free program for pregnant women who have children younger than 24 months old, and who live in Chester, Chichester, Eddystone, Woodlyn, Parkside, Upland, Toby Farms, Chester Township, Trainer, Marcus Hook or Linwood.
The program offers hands-on social service assistance for women and families in need, including:
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Helping families connect with doctors and social services
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Helping keep children’s shots and check-ups up-to-date
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Helping pregnant women get early and regular prenatal care and helping them get check-ups for their newborn babies
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Helping to educate participants about their health, including childbirth, diet, exercise, nutrition, STDs, AIDS, diabetes, high blood pressure, and much more.
To date, the program has served more than 1,200 pregnant and post-partum women and their families. In 2006, the program served 250 women, more than half who were over 18 years of age. Just as importantly, compared to all births from the Crozer-Chester Medical Center service area, Healthy Start participants have a similar or lower percentage of low birth weights. Last year, only 4.6 percent of babies born to Healthy Start participants had a birth weight under 5 pounds 5 ounces — the lowest percentage since 1999. |
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