Change a child’s life forever

Fetal medicine is at the pioneering edge of pediatric health care. Babies still in the womb with serious illnesses and conditions once faced a lifetime of struggle and chronic issues. Now, when treated early, we have hope of reducing or fully eliminating the burden of chronic illness from their lives. This possibility is fueled by donors like you.

Why support fetal medicine?

Birth defects affect 3% of babies born in the United States[1] and cause 1 in 5 infant deaths.[2] Advancements in fetal medicine are imperative to ensure that families in Minnesota and throughout the country have access to exceptional care.

Transformational giving has made it possible for the Michael and Ann Ciresi Midwest Fetal Care Center to join only a handful of advanced fetal care centers in the country, and to assemble a team of experts who offer coordinated care for moms and babies before, during and after birth. As we look to the near future, new interventions and research have the potential to not only save lives, but eliminate diseases. Additional community funding is needed to continue the extraordinary developments taking place in the field of fetal medicine.

Giving opportunities

Philanthropic gifts will fast track advancements in research, staffing and program expansions for Midwest Fetal Care Center, which include:

• Expanding our open fetal surgery program
• Accelerating gene therapy research to clinical trials
• Adding to our multidisciplinary care team
• Adopting pre-emptive genomic testing as our standard of care so we can proactively detect and manage diseases earlier
• Advancing fetal cardiology and early fetal radiology program

The future has never looked so promising for fetal care and for the mothers and unborn babies we serve.

Give to fetal medicine or learn more by contacting the Children’s Minnesota Foundation today.

Thank you to the many donors who have contributed to support Midwest Fetal Care Center.

A special thanks to the philanthropic support from generous donors, Children’s Minnesota announced on Dec. 3, 2018 the institution’s first endowed chairs: Joseph Lillegard, MD, PhD, inaugural chair holder of the Dr. Jim Sidman, endowed chair in fetal research, and Brad Feltis, MD, PhD, inaugural chair holder of the Dr. Carol L. Wells endowed chair in fetal surgery. Endowed chairs recognize the clinical and academic accomplishments of chair holders and transform the lives of patients at Children’s Minnesota.

[1] ivCDC. Birth Defects. Reviewed: Feb. 29, 2016. Updated: Sept. 21, 2016. Accessed Sept 23, 2016 http://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/birthdefects/data.html

2] vCDC. Birth Defects. Reviewed: Feb. 29, 2016. Updated: Sept. 21, 2016. Accessed Sept 23, 2016. http://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/birthdefects/data.html