Guided by a passion for connecting new mothers to essential care and parenting resources, Atrium Health teammate Courtney Buggs is making strides to impact the lives of women in the greater Charlotte area. Based at Atrium Health Myers Park OB/GYN and Atrium Health NorthPark OB/GYN, Courtney has made it her mission to meet the prenatal and perinatal needs of young mothers and underserved Hispanic women.

During the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic, Courtney identified a growing need among new mothers within her patient population. Basic provisions, such as diapers and car seats, were out of reach for some patients, many of whom were uninsured or faced financial or cultural barriers to parenting resources. The opportunity to support her patients’ special needs as they embarked upon motherhood filled Courtney with purpose.

Thanks to a $10,000 grant from the Ann P. Miller Trust, and guided by Courtney’s leadership, the two Charlotte-based OB/GYN practices continue to operate jointly as a community resource “hub” that provides vital access to perinatal and prenatal care — and a variety of parenting resources — for new and expectant mothers.

“I love what I do,” said Courtney. “It brightens my day and is incredibly rewarding. The fact that generous community donors are supporting this program touches my heart and inspires me to work hard to improve our patients’ lives, every day.”

An important feature of the patient support program is a series of workshops, hosted in partnership with Smart Start and Mecklenburg County, that educates up to 10 new mothers each month about a variety of safety-related parenting topics and developmental milestones for infants.

“Many child-safety concepts are new to these moms because they come from varying backgrounds with different cultural influences and caretaking styles,” said Courtney.

The program also connects new mothers to food banks, HIV resources, transportation support, and diapers, strollers, and more. With future support from philanthropy, Courtney hopes the program will become a safety net for more young mothers.

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Ann P. Miller Leaves a Legacy

Since 2016, gifts from the Estate of Ann P. Miller have benefited Atrium Health patient programs and service lines, including Women’s Care, adult and pediatric cardiology, pediatric kidney disease research, and more. A registered nurse who worked at Charlotte Memorial Hospital and Carolinas Medical Center, Ann left a legacy to her former patients through her generous estate gifts.

To leave a legacy at Atrium Health Foundation and support patients through a planned gift, contact:

Beth Braxton, Director of Development:

Elizabeth.Braxton@atriumhealth.org

(704) 355-4049