The
Family Birth Center was recently honored with a very special reunion: A generous local family,
a talented sculpture artist from Zimbabwe, and an inspiring artwork that
now delights families delivering babies at Foothills Hospital.
Sculptor
Colleen Nyanhongo, a Zimbabwe native now living in Colorado, Eldorado Springs gallery owner
Giuseppe Palumbo, daughter Brianna Palumbo and grandson Owen Gregory,
BCH chief medical officer Paul Lewis and Family Birth Center director
Lisa Allen, RN, gathered recently to celebrate the sculpture’s dedication
-- and the journey that led to its installation in the labor and delivery area.
Just over a year ago, Brianna and husband Cody Gregory welcomed Owen’s
arrival at the Family Birth Center. After a difficult labor, Brianna and
baby spent the first week in our
Special Care Nursery. “During labor and in the NICU, the nurses here were all incredible,”
she said. “They made a challenging situation into a great experience.”
After the family went home, “We wanted to express our appreciation
for the exceptional level of care we received here,” said Brianna’s
dad Giuseppe Palumbo. The founder of
Gallery Giuseppe in the Eldorado Springs Arts Center immediately thought of
Motherland.
The tactile black stone sculpture depicts a baby in her mother’s
womb, ready to be born. “Our families love to touch the sculpture
while they’re here,” Lisa Allen said. “It’s the
perfect addition to this sweet space where so many lives begin.”