In a movement to increase safe sleep for Indiana kids, the Indianapolis Colts will donate sleep sacks for babies born each year at Ascension St. Vincent in Indianapolis, Anderson, Carmel, Evansville, Fishers, Kokomo and Randolph County. This first annual donation will result in 5,000 Colts sleep sacks for babies born starting in 2025.
Sleep sacks, or wearable blankets, are designed by pediatricians to provide both warmth and an uncluttered sleep environment for an infant and prevent blankets from presenting a suffocation hazard.
Last week, Colts Vice Chair & Owner Kalen Jackson and Colts defensive lineman DeForest Buckner visited with moms and babies at Ascension St. Vincent and delivered the first set of sleep sacks to the newest and youngest Colts fans.
"The Colts are so pleased to help promote safe sleep for Hoosier kids, and this donation of sleep sacks is one way we can help new parents care for their infants in safe manner," Jackson said. "We're also proud to partner with Ascension St. Vincent to continue promoting health and wellness for our friends, fans and neighbors across the state, and we look forward to more opportunities to do so."
Earlier this year, Ascension St. Vincent and Peyton Manning Children's Hospital became the official healthcare partners of Colts. The partnership provides a variety of opportunities for the hospital system to reach new audiences, raise awareness about wellness and help improve the health of fans of all ages.
"Indiana's sleep-related infant mortality rate is higher than the national average and continues to rise. It is an alarming stat, but these are preventable deaths," said Julie Schnieders, MSN, NP, Vice President of Women and Pediatric Services at Ascension St. Vincent. "Through our partnership with the Colts, we aim to address this urgent issue by educating parents on safe sleep practices. By providing tools like sleep sacks that replace hazardous, loose blankets in a crib, we can save young lives and increase positive outcomes for babies across Indiana."
ABOUT ASCENSION ST. VINCENT *Ascension St. Vincent operates 19 hospitals in addition to a comprehensive network of affiliated joint ventures, medical practices and clinics serving Indiana, and employs more than 13,000 associates. In Fiscal Year 2024, Ascension St. Vincent provided more than $357 million in community benefit and care of persons living in poverty throughout the state. Ascension St. Vincent is part of Ascension, one of the nation's leading non-profit and Catholic health systems, with a Mission of delivering compassionate, personalized care to all with special attention to persons living in poverty and those most vulnerable. In FY2023, Ascension provided $2.2 billion in care of persons living in poverty and other community benefit programs. Ascension includes approximately 134,000 associates, 35,000 affiliated providers and 140 hospitals, serving communities in 18 states and the District of Columbia. Visit* *www.ascension.org*.
ABOUT PEYTON MANNING CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL AT ASCENSION ST. VINCENT *Peyton Manning Children's Hospital at Ascension St. Vincent (PMCH), part of Ascension, one of the nation's leading non-profit and Catholic health systems, is a full service, dedicated children's medical center providing the highest quality, family-centered care to children and adolescents in the state of Indiana and beyond. PMCH is staffed by more than 100 experienced pediatric sub-specialists along with pediatric nurses, social workers, child life specialists, chaplains, and other health professionals with a multidisciplinary and collaborative approach to family-focused care. PMCH has more than 160 licensed beds, which includes a 15-bed Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, a 17-bed Pediatric Emergency Department, and a 97-bed Level IV Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, providing the highest level of acute care as established by the American Academy of Pediatrics. The Pediatric Emergency Department is one of two ERs in Indiana dedicated to pediatric trauma and delivers advanced care for even the most severe injuries. The Pediatric Burn Center is a regional burn center for Indiana, equipped to deliver care for minor and life-threatening burns, including skin grafts, surgery, and scar management. The hospital offers 24-hour on-site coverage by pediatric hospitalists, intensivists, neonatologists, and board-certified emergency physicians, and provides safe and streamlined critical care transport by ambulance and air. Visit* *www.getpeytonmanningcare.com*.
