WVU Medicine Children’s NICU receives books for babies and families

MARTINSBURG, W.Va. – Families with babies admitted to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at WVU Medicine Berkeley Medical Center will now be able to bond better with their newborns, thanks to the efforts of a Charles Town mother of two small girls.

Dana Kasmier recently spearheaded a community book drive to raise funds to purchase new books for the families of babies admitted to the WVU Medicine Children’s NICU at Berkeley Medical Center. “It is so important to bond with babies through reading, and the gift of quality books will promote this in a wonderful way,” Kasmier said.

By reading to babies, the familiar sound of their parent’s voice soothes and comforts them. It also promotes the child’s brain development. Studies show that the earlier parents start reading to their children, the higher their reading and language skills become later in childhood.

Each family of a newborn in the NICU at Berkeley Medical Center will receive a new Usborne children’s book. “If parents start reading to their babies in the NICU, they are more likely to continue to read to them once they go home,” Kasmier said.

Kasmier and her daughters recently visited the NICU at Berkeley Medical Center to deliver the books, tour the unit and meet the staff. NICU Nursing Director Helena Brady was very appreciative of the donation.

"We are very excited to be able to share these books with our parents and babies,” Brady said.