Wallace State sonography students donate funds to support families of preemies

HANCEVILLE, Ala. — In their future careers, students in the Diagnostic Medical Sonography program at Wallace State Community College will undoubtedly one day assist an obstetric patient dealing with a premature birth. Through the exams they will give as sonographers, they may discover conditions that put an unborn child at risk of a early delivery.
Recently, the students in the class of 2016 cohort learned how a program assists families dealing with premature births. They also donated almost $1,700 to help that organization, Footprints Ministry.
“In a lot cases you’ll be the first one to discover a family’s need,” Katie Bowers, the volunteer chapter coordinator for the Hunstville chapter of Footprints, told the sonography students.
“What you’ll do is so important,” she added. “You’ll see parents at the scariest time of their life, the happiest time in their life, the saddest time in their life, but just keep in mind that what you guys do is so important.”
Footprints has chapters in Huntsville, Birmingham, Montgomery, Mobile, and Columbia, Tenn.  Working with hospitals in those areas, the program provides families with gift bags, which includes items they can use while in the hospital with their child. Bowers said her Footprints chapter puts together 75 bags each month for the hospitals in the Huntsville area.
“We put together little goody bags for the families to kind of say we’re here for you,” she said. “We also give families gas cards, food cards, we pay for hotel stays, we pay for burial expenses when that’s needed. I’ve gone with moms to pick out their babies’ headstones. We are there for whatever they need us.”
They work with a sister organization that takes donated wedding dresses and makes bereavement gowns. They host events for families in the hospital, such as Thanksgiving meals, pictures with Santa and the Easter bunny, and other holiday celebrations.
“What we want to do is share hope and grace and the love of Christ with these families and let them know they’re not alone,” Bowers said. “And you guys are going to be the people building relationships with these families, and you can let people know (about Footprints).”
The students in the sonography program were happy to help the Footprints program, with some of them knowing first-hand how support like that can help families dealing with a premature birth.
“I had a daughter in the NICU and I don’t know if it was Footprints, but they came around and brought me a gift basket,” said Macy Williams of Arab.
“My son came early and he was in the NICU as well,” said Jennifer Merrill of Morris. “The donations helped because there were things I didn’t have, like toothpaste, shampoo, because I was not leaving my son. They actually offered to wash my clothes.”
The donation from the Wallace State sonography class will help purchase things like blankets, hand sanitizer, journals, gift cards for food and gas, tissue, shampoo, conditioners, toothbrushes, etc.  Many times, the families come in the hospital unexpectedly during an emergency situation and before they’ve had the opportunity to pack their own bags and supplies that full-term parents have the time to do.
For more information about or to donate to Footprints Ministry, visit www.footprintsministry.info.
For more information about the Wallace State Diagnostic Medical Sonography program or any other health, career or academic program, visit www.wallacestate.edu or call 256.352.8000 or 866.350.9722. Registration for Spring 2016 is currently underway, with classes starting on Jan. 7, 2016.