St. Dominic’s Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) in Jackson placed second in an international literacy competition aimed at supporting infant development and family bonding.
The “Babies with Books Read-A-Thon,” held Sept. 8-18, brought together 249 hospitals from around the world. St. Dominic logged 1,144 reading sessions during the event, averaging 19.62 sessions per baby per day despite a census of just five infants.
This year marked the third time St. Dominic has participated in the read-a-thon, which carried the theme “Wild About Reading.” The competition encourages NICUs to promote early literacy while offering parents a meaningful way to connect with their newborns.
“Reading not only gives parents a meaningful way to bond with their babies, but it also supports neurodevelopment even in this early stage,” said Emily Foster, a NICU nurse at St. Dominic and coordinator of its role in the read-a-thon.
St. Dominic’s success was made possible by staff, hospital leaders, and families who volunteered to read throughout the 10-day event.
Books for the event were supplied by Lela’s Library, created in 2021 by Garrett and Alexis Grey in memory of their daughter Lela Jo, a former patient. The Greys donate enough books each year, so every baby admitted to the NICU receives one before discharge.
