Late Board Chair Donates $250,000 to Trinity Health Ann Arbor, Names Perinatal Wellness Center After Nurse

For Immediate Release


Contact:


Von Lozon


248-725-2400


Von.Lozon@trinity-health.org

ANN ARBOR, MICH., May 25, 2023 – On Friday, May 19, Trinity Health Ann Arbor hosted a dedication for the Lavone A. “Shorty” Witting, RN, Perinatal Wellness Center, named by the late Dr. Nina I. McClelland with a legacy gift of $250,000 to honor her dear friend, the late Lavone “Shorty” Witting. Through the Witting Perinatal Wellness Center, new mothers and newborns, who previously lacked access to care during the fourth trimester (first 12 weeks following birth), will receive services such as follow-up visits, breastfeeding consultations, and behavioral health care.

Trinity Health Michigan leaders, physicians and colleagues gathered with friends and family of Dr. McClelland and Witting to celebrate the successful February 2022 opening of the new center within the Reichert Health Building on the hospital campus.

In addition to Dr. McClelland’s support, another longtime donor who wishes to remain anonymous gave $250,000 to establish the Perinatal Wellness Support Fund, which is used to develop programs and hire specialized caregivers, such as Breastfeeding Medicine clinicians and a designated social worker. Additionally, $40,000 in funding from an endowment established by the former St. Joseph Mercy Hospital Medical Auxiliary was designated toward renovations.

“By investing in a perinatal wellness center for our community, specifically our underserved patients, our donors are helping families access the care they need so that they can develop a strong foundation for lifelong health,” said Alonzo Lewis, president of Trinity Health Ann Arbor and Trinity Health Livingston. “We are so grateful to Dr. McClelland and our donors, both for their generosity and continued commitment to helping improve the lives of those we serve.”

There are nearly 4,000 babies born at Trinity Health Ann Arbor each year. The New American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) guidelines recommend that postpartum care be “an ongoing process” and the 12 weeks after delivery should be considered a “fourth trimester.” However, up to 40 percent of women do not attend any postpartum visits. These recommendations and findings align with those identified by Trinity Health Ann Arbor in its 2021 Community Health Needs Assessment, in which the need for improved access to perinatal care was cited as one of three top priorities among community members who participated in the survey.

The Witting Perinatal Wellness Center is a resource for all communities served by Trinity Health Ann Arbor and is an extension of the health system’s safety-net model of care provided through the Trinity Health Academic Obstetrics & Gynecology – Ann Arbor Campus. The Witting Perinatal Wellness Center seamlessly adds perinatal services for patients who rely on the Academic Obstetrics & Gynecology program for prenatal care. The program currently provides patients with 8,000 prenatal visits annually. Since opening the Witting Perinatal Wellness Center in February 2022, patients have benefitted from more than 1,500 post-natal visits.

“We value our families and know the importance of a healthy pregnancy and postpartum period for moms and babies,” said Bryan Popp, MD, OB/GYN Department chair at Trinity Health Ann Arbor and Trinity Health Livingston. “By offering mental health and breast feeding services to our patients, we can start families with a solid foundation.”

During her lifetime, Dr. McClelland served as president and CEO of NSF in Ann Arbor and as a professor and dean at The University of Toledo. Dr. McClelland was a renowned scientist, most notably in the field of water purity. Additionally, Dr. McClelland was a steadfast supporter of Trinity Health Ann Arbor as a Board chair, development council executive committee member, and donor. She was inspired by the vision for the Perinatal Wellness Center and the goal of improving the health of mothers and children, which reflected the late Ms. Witting’s 33-year career as a registered nurse. Witting served much of her career as a Public Health Nurse Supervisor within the Division of Maternal and Child Health for the City of Toledo.

“Our family is incredibly proud of Nina and Shorty and everything they did throughout their lives to help others and to improve the world around them,” shared Mary Jo Gibson, cousin to Dr. Nina I. McClelland and goddaughter of Lavone A. “Shorty” Witting. “When Nina learned the hospital was developing the Perinatal Wellness Center, she chose to establish an estate gift to honor Shorty through its naming. Shorty was devoted to caring for infants and toddlers. Nina and Shorty met when she was in charge of administering clinics to give vaccinations and other treatments to infants and children at the Toledo Health Department. When off duty, Shorty rendered medical care to families whose children were in need of emergency assistance, including me on several cases. Nina’s generous support was truly inspired by the way Shorty always went above and beyond the call of duty, and through the new Perinatal Wellness Center in her name, Shorty’s legacy of caring for others will continue.”

To learn more about how giving in support of the Witting Perinatal Wellness Center can make a difference, please contact Melissa Sheppard in Trinity Health Michigan’s Office of Philanthropy. She can be reached at 734-712-4079 or melissa.sheppard@trinity-health.org. If you would like to make a gift online today, please visit: giving.stjoeshealth.org/ann-arbor.

About Trinity Health Michigan


Trinity Health Michigan is a leading health care provider and one of the state’s largest employers. With more than 24,000 full-time employees serving 29 counties, Trinity Health Michigan is composed of nine hospitals located in Ann Arbor, Chelsea, Grand Haven, Grand Rapids, Howell, Livonia, Muskegon, Pontiac and Shelby, and two medical groups. The health system has 2,314 beds and 5,446 physicians and advanced practice providers. With operating revenues of $4.16 billion, Trinity Health Michigan returns $184 million back to their local communities each year. Together with numerous ambulatory care locations, home health and hospice agencies and 23 senior living communities owned and/or operated by Trinity Health, Trinity Health Michigan provides the full continuum of care for Michigan residents.