Mercy receives grant from Variety – the Children’s Charity

Mercy Medical Center has received a grant totaling $18,185 from Variety – the Children’s Charity to support newborn care at Mercy’s Birthplace & NICU. The grant funded the purchase of a MAICO easyScreen hearing screener, which is a portable device used shortly after birth to screen newborns for hearing loss.

Early hearing screening is a critical part of newborn care because early detection of hearing issues plays a key role in a child’s speech, language and cognitive development.

The Variety grant will support patient care in the following ways:

• The MAICO easyScreen hearing screener uses auditory brainstem response technology to measure how a baby’s hearing nerve and brainstem respond to sound.
• The device delivers reliable results in seconds and is designed to be minimally disruptive and baby‑friendly.
• Its compact, portable design allows screening to take place efficiently at the infant’s bedside, improving workflow while ensuring timely testing for newborns.

“This new equipment allows us to identify potential hearing concerns very early, when intervention can have the greatest effect,” said Emily Ludovissy, director of Women’s and Children’s Services at Mercy. “Support from Variety helps us continue to provide high-quality, family-centered care using reliable, state-of-the-art technology for our youngest patients.”

Mercy is grateful to Variety – the Children’s Charity for its continued support of programs and equipment that enhance care for children and families in our community.