Stafford Hospital Auxiliary Funds Lifesaving NICU Patient Safety Equipment

Fredericksburg, VA, (February 23, 2026) – The Stafford Hospital Auxiliary is pleased to announce that it has successfully raised the funds needed to purchase a blood bank tube sealer for the lab benefitting the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) through its silent auction.

The Auxiliary’s annual fundraiser drew strong support from staff, volunteers, local businesses, and community members. In addition to fully funding the purchase of the new NICU lab equipment, the auction generated additional proceeds, which will benefit the Junior Volunteer Scholarship program.

The NICU currently uses an open system with clamps to prepare neonatal blood units. The newly funded blood bank tube sealer allows Stafford Hospital to transition to a closed system — enhancing the safety and quality of neonatal transfusions.

The new closed system will:

• Maintain sterility.
• Reduce waste and preserve blood for future neonatal transfusions.
• Improve safety by limiting how many donor units a neonate receives.
• Allow unused portions to be refrigerated and stored with full shelf life.
• Enable safe crossmatching and testing without breaking sterility.

This best‑practice approach to preparing neonatal blood products ensures safer, more efficient care for the region’s smallest patients.

“We are deeply grateful for the generosity and dedication shown by our Auxiliary and our community,” said Cody Blankenship, VP, Stafford Hospital Administrator. “This support helps us enhance transfusion safety for our tiniest patients and strengthen the care we provide in our NICU.”

The Stafford Hospital Auxiliary supports patients, families, and clinical teams through fundraising initiatives, volunteer service, and community engagement. Whether through scholarships, equipment purchases, or support programs, the Auxiliary plays a vital role in advancing the mission of Mary Washington Healthcare.

Photo from left to right: Cody Blankenship, VP, Stafford Hospital Administrator; Katie Pifer, Nurse Manager, Stafford Hospital Labor and Delivery and NICU; Ann Weed, Director, MWHC Women’s Services; Craig Stacey, Director, Pathology and Lab Services; Frank Rinquist, Stafford Hospital Auxiliary Past President; Ricky Gilleland, auction platform designer and Charlie (pet therapy volunteer); and Darla Burton, Coordinator, Stafford Hospital Volunteer Services

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About Mary Washington Healthcare

Mary Washington Healthcare is a fully integrated, regional healthcare system that provides inpatient and outpatient care at more than 80 facilities including Mary Washington Hospital,

a 471-bed tertiary hospital; Stafford Hospital, a 100-bed community hospital; four emergency departments, and a multi-specialty graduate medical education program. Mary Washington Healthcare is a non-profit health system with a longstanding commitment to providing care regardless of patients’ ability to pay. For more information about our services and facilities,

visit mwhc.com.