WCCU Donates $20K to CMN

​This credit union has joined credit unions across North Dakota in support of the new CU4Kids Micropreemie Unit in Fargo! 

Western Cooperative Credit Union is pleased to announce the donation of $20,000 to the Credit Union for Kids Micropreemie Unit at Sanford Children’s Hospital.

​As a Children’s Miracle Network Hospital, Sanford Children’s Hospital provides the most advanced and specialized pediatric care for children in the state of North Dakota and northwest Minnesota. The new Credit Unions for Kids Micropreemie Unit will feature four private patient rooms designed to create a nurturing environment conducive to the delicate needs of these tiny infants.
 
Equipped with state-of-the-art medical technology and staffed by highly trained professionals, the unit aims to provide specialized care tailored to the unique challenges of micropreemies, defined as those born before 26 weeks and weighing less than 28 ounces.
 
The new dedicated unit within the Sanford Children’s NICU will provide a soothing environment with minimal stimulus to mimic what a baby experiences in the womb. The unit will be staffed around the clock by a multidisciplinary team of NICU nurses, lead physicians, respiratory therapists, dieticians, pharmacists, family support specialists, and others, who have undergone additional training in the complexities of caring for micropreemies and their families. Additionally, the unit will offer comforting spaces for parents to bond with their babies, fostering a supportive atmosphere during this critical phase of their child's development.
 
The project is slated to begin later this year and is made possible by financial commitments from credit unions all across North Dakota and the Dakota Credit Union Foundation.
 
Western Cooperative Credit Union is proud to support families that experience the difficult journey of extreme premature births. Hillery Mork, Lead Development Officer & Children’s Miracle Network Program Director at Sanford Health Foundation, stated that in 2023 alone, there have been approximately 250 children from Williams County, an area served by Western Cooperative, that have utilized Sanford Children’s Hospital. Even more astounding, the hospital treated a total of 24,368 kids from every county in North Dakota and many in northwestern Minnesota in 2023.