Donovan McNabb partners with Virtua
When NFL Pro Bowl Quarterback Donovan McNabb and his wife Raquel were expecting their first child six years ago, they did what a lot of people do when they need to find a new doctor – they asked friends for a recommendation.
Those recommendations led the McNabbs to Virtua obstetrician/gynecologist Lennard Gildiner, MD. Through him, they discovered Virtua.
“Our experience at Virtua was wonderful,” says McNabb. “And, when we were expecting our twins five years later, there was no doubt in our minds we would return to Virtua.”
Excited to be expecting twins, Donovan and Raquel met with Ronald Librizzi, DO, chief of maternal-fetal medicine at Virtua. He and his staff monitored the babies and guided the couple through the pregnancy.
When the babies arrived, they needed some extra care and spent two weeks in Virtua’s Level III neonatal intensive care unit (NICU).
“We were concerned, but we knew our twins were in good hands,” says McNabb. “Medical director Elizabeth Fong-DeLeon, MD, all the physicians, and NICU nurses there nurtured and reassured us every step of the way.”
Today, the twins are thriving, and last year the McNabbs returned to Virtua again to welcome their fourth child.
Because of their positive experience, Donovan and Raquel McNabb have committed to help raise funds for the NICU in Virtua’s new Voorhees Hospital. In fact, they have launched a fundraising campaign with a six-figure donation toward the $2.5 million fundraising goal.
“There is a special place in our hearts for Virtua’s NICU,” says McNabb. “Not only because our babies spent time there, but because Virtua cares for some of the tiniest babies struggling to grow and develop.”
Virtua’s NICU is part of the recently formed John M. Tedeschi Pediatric Institue, named in honor of pediatrician and children’s health advocate John M. Tedeschi, MD.
“Through their experiences, the McNabb family has learned about the full range of health services related to the birth and care of babies,” says Richard Miller, president and CEO of Virtua, which delivers almost 8,000 babies a year. “We will continue to provide these services in our new replacement Voorhees hospital opening in 2011.”