Nurses for Newborns of Tennessee Hosts Second Annual Nurturing Tomorrow: A Maternal and Infant Health Luncheon
Tennessee nonprofit seeks to educate community about state’s shocking maternal and infant mortality rates, bringing panel of health experts together for conversation.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 15, 2024
Nashville, TN – Nurses for Newborns of Tennessee (NFN) is hosting its second annual Nurturing Tomorrow luncheon on October 23, 2024, in Nashville, TN to spread awareness about maternal and infant health in TN. With TN ranked among the worst states in the nation for preventable maternal and infant deaths, NFN aims to improve these rates through home-visiting services provided by registered nurses.
The event features a panel of maternal and infant health experts moderated by Nikki Burdine, Emmy Award-winning anchor of Good Morning Nashville. In addition to her 17-year career in TV news, Burdine is a mother, author, and lifestyle blogger.
Featured panelists include:
Dr. Tobi Adeyeye Amosun, Deputy Commissioner for Population Health at the Tennessee Department of Health, director-at-large for the Association of Maternal Child Health Programs, on staff at Vanderbilt Children’s Hospital, and a practicing pediatrician in South Nashville.
Dr. Hannah Dudney, Women’s Health Physician Consultant for the Tennessee Department of Health, chairof the Birth Defects Registry Advisory Committee and co-chair of the Tennessee Maternal Mortality Review Committee and Tennessee Perinatal Advisory Committee.
Dr. Cornelia R. Graves, Medical Director of Tennessee Maternal Fetal Medicine; Medical Director for Perinatal Services at St. Thomas Health Systems; professor at the University of Tennessee, Vanderbilt University, and Meharry Medical College; internationally recognized expert in the management of maternal disease.
Amy Green, Founder and CEO of Nashville Collaborative Counseling Center and Mamaya Health; clinical social worker and professor specializing in trauma-informed care and human rights, integrated care management, and maternal mental health.
Dr. Rolanda Lister, Maternal Fetal Medicine specialist at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, creator of the Maternal Care Conference and the acquired Cardiac Clinic (managed jointly by Cardiology and Maternal Fetal Medicine), and researcher focused on maternal diabetes, gene regulation, and heart defects and dysfunction.
In an average week in TN, eleven infant lives are lost, leaving TN with a higher infant mortality rate than the U.S. average. TN is ranked the eleventh highest state in the U.S. for infant deaths, and more than 50% of those deaths were considered preventable. TN is ranked the fourth highest state in the U.S. for maternal deaths; 79% of which were deemed preventable.
NFN is dedicated to improving the future for mothers and babies in Middle TN. NFN provides free, home-basedservices and resources vital to the survival of some of TN’s most at-risk mothers and children. The Nurturing Tomorrow event raises awareness about the maternal and infant health crisis in the state and highlights the medical professionals and organizations that provide solutions.
“Care for a mother and her newborn baby shouldn’t stop the moment she leaves the hospital,” says Matt Robertson, Executive Director of Nurses for Newborns of Tennessee. “Nurses for Newborns steps in to ensure every mother is empowered with the tools she needs to parent and every baby has the opportunity to thrive. We know that understanding the maternal and infant health crisis in our state is one step toward creating change, and our Nurturing Tomorrow event aims to get the conversation started among community members.”
Nurturing Tomorrow will take place on October 23 at 11:30 a.m. at Riverside Revival in Nashville, TN. Tickets can be purchased online here. All proceeds will benefit Nurses for Newborns’ life-saving work. To learn more about Nurses for Newborns of Tennessee, visit NursesforNewborns.org/Tennessee.
