Monday, June 13, 2016

St. Louis Nurse Receives the March of Dimes Dr. Margaret Comerford Freda
“Saving Babies, Together®” Award
—Dr. Maryann Bozzette Accepts the AWHONN-March of Dimes Grant —

Washington, DC, June 13, 2016 – The Association of Women’s Health, Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses (AWHONN) today presented the March of Dimes Dr. Margaret Comerford Freda “Saving Babies, Together®” Award to Maryann Bozzette, PhD, RN, CLC, for her study entitled, “Transitioning Premature Infants to Direct Exclusive Breastfeeding.” The purpose of the study is to test an intervention to transition premature infants from gavage (tube) feeding to breastfeeding prior to hospital discharge.  This study is part of Dr. Bozzette’s wider program of research on interventions for premature and high risk infants. The award was presented at AWHONN’s annual convention in Grapevine, Texas.

The March of Dimes Dr. Margaret Comerford Freda “Saving Babies, Together®” Award is presented annually to an experienced investigator whose research reflects the common commitment of the March of Dimes and AWHONN to promote the health of women and newborns. The award is supported through an educational grant from the March of Dimes and is named for long-time AWHONN member and nurse researcher, Dr. Margaret Comerford Freda. Dr. Freda was the first and long-time chairperson of the March of Dimes Nurse Advisory Council.

“Dr. Bozzette’s research is critical to the health and development of the most fragile infants,” said AWHONN’s Chief Executive Officer, Lynn Erdman, MN, RN, FAAN. “Her work to support mothers of preterm infants is expected to help increase the rate and duration of breastfeeding.”

Dr. Bozzette is an associate professor at the University of Missouri – St. Louis, College of Nursing.  Her clinical background is in pediatrics with an expertise in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). She earned a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from D’Youville College in Buffalo, New York; and a Master’s degree and a PhD in Nursing Science from the University of Washington in Seattle. She is a regular presenter on infant health topics at international and national conferences and widely published in the areas of breastfeeding and neurobehavioral development of preterm infants.

For media interviews, contact:
Kelly Mack for AWHONN
202-296-2002
kmack@awhonn.org

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About AWHONN
Since 1969, the Association of Women’s Health, Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses (AWHONN) has been the foremost authority  promoting the health of women and newborns and strengthening the nursing profession through the delivery of superior advocacy, research, education, and other professional and clinical resources.  AWHONN represents the interests of 350,000 registered nurses working in women’s health, obstetric, and neonatal nursing across the United States.  Learn more about AWHONN at www.awhonn.org.

About March of Dimes
The March of Dimes is the leading nonprofit organization for pregnancy and baby health. For more than 75 years, moms and babies have benefited from March of Dimes research, education, vaccines, and breakthroughs. For the latest resources and health information, visit our websites marchofdimes.org and nacersano.org. You can also find us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter.