August Family Birth Place Celebrates 25-Year Anniversary

This month marks 25 years since the opening of the August Family Birth Place at Unity Hospital. The facility remains a deeply rooted part of the community in the Rochester region, welcoming little ones and seeing families grow.

Since the first baby was delivered in September 1999, more than 32,000 babies have been delivered by healthcare staff. After some careful calculations by nurses, they estimate infants born at August Family Birth Place have used more than 390,000 diapers in two and a half decades.

A group of five nurses - Aileen Bowers, Carol Drew, Diane Nau, Kim Visca, and Tracy Wygal - who have worked at August Family Birth Place since its doors opened sat down together earlier this year to write down their memories, reflections, and hopes for the facility and all who come through its doors.The nurses said, in the first days that the Birth Place was open, they weren't sure what would bring more patients through their doors. But then something changed.

"We couldn’t say enough good things, but the best way to promote the Family Birth Place came from our patients. They loved their birth experience and were happy to spread the word. The secret got out!"

Today, August Family Birth Place features a team of experienced, compassionate physicians, midwives, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, and nurses who are proud to take patients’ goals seriously and communicate through every step of their delivery. With round-the-clock care and 24-hour-a-day availability to answer questions – even after families head home – Rochester Regional Health’s level of care is unmatched.

One of the most meaningful statements made in the collective letter written by the group of nurses is that, while Rochester Regional Health patients and staff have come and gone through the August Family Birth Place doors over the years, the heart of the facility remains the same: the cohesiveness of the health care team providing compassionate, strong care for women, their babies, and families.

“Through all of our 25 years, we have maintained a family atmosphere - not only in caring for our patients and their families, but also for each other. We celebrate our successes and achievements but are also there for each other in challenging times, times of loss or illness. The best compliment is to be present for the births of so many of our team members.

"Healthcare has changed throughout these 25 years, but the thing that has remained constant is the cohesiveness of our team. Many staff members have come and gone but have left their mark, having been part of our family. Each member has brought experiences to make us a stronger unit than when we started.”