Genesee County Health Department
Better Life Through Better Health

Date:                            August 19, 2011

Release Date:             August 19, 2011         End Date:  August 19, 2011   

Contact Person:         Marcia Franks, Public Health Supervisor

                                    Maternal-Infant Health and Mortality Programs

Genesee County Health Department  

Phone:                        (810) 257- 3202

RE:                             Breastfeeding Advocate of the Year

         The Genesee County Breastfeeding Coalition is pleased to announce the recipient of the 2011 Genesee County Breastfeeding Advocate of the Year is   Dr. Epifania Aranas and the 2011 Genesee County Breastfeeding Friendly Workplace of the Year is Diplomat Pharmacy. Both recipients will receive their awards on August 23 at 12:00 noon during a Genesee County Breastfeeding Coalition meeting at the Genesee County Health Department. Selection of the Breastfeeding Advocate of the Year was based on the following criteria: the person is clear in his/her support of breastfeeding; he/she supports women to breastfeed through encouragement, accurate and timely information, advice, reassurance, affirmation, hands-on assistance and practical tips; and he/she reinforces the practice and support of breastfeeding with colleagues.

Dr. Aranas, a Neonatologist at Hurley Medical Center, the region’s only Level III Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), was nominated by a colleague. The nomination submitted for Dr. Aranas described her as “…[being] very instrumental in formulating policies and procedures to improve breastfeeding rates and breastfeeding support for our most vulnerable population in the NICU.

            Dr. Aranas encourages nursing staff to promote practices to improve breastfeeding success, and supports families during a very stressful time in their lives. She encourages every mother to breastfeed or provide breastmilk for their infant…She promotes breastmilk as the optimum source of nutrition with the goal of improving the health of women and their infants. Dr. Aranas is a role model for other physicians and health care advocates in the community.”

Diplomat Pharmacy was selected to receive the first-ever Genesee County Breastfeeding Friendly Workplace of the Year award and was described as “…very breastfeeding friendly. They offer a private locked room for their breastfeeding employees in their building (and allow other breastfeeding mothers in the building working at different companies to use this room)…they also offer a refrigerator in this room to store pumped breastmilk.“

Two other individuals and a workplace will also be recognized for their outstanding efforts to promote and support breastfeeding: Larry Young, MD, Obstetrician at Hamilton Community Health Network; Mary Pilarski, Obstetrical Nurse, also at Hamilton Community Health Network and McLaren Regional Medical Center (workplace).

This award is one of many activities undertaken by the Genesee County Breastfeeding Coalition. Formed in 2008, the Coalition has been successful in bringing together representatives from all three local hospitals, clinics, schools, public health and other human service agencies. The group has developed local materials to support mothers in their decision to breastfeed, held a Breastfeeding Initiation Challenge with local hospitals, sponsored several workshops for professionals, and continues to focus on activities that will encourage families to choose breastfeeding for their infants. For more information, contact the Genesee County Health Department at (810) 257-3612 or visit the website at www.gchd.us.

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