Brady's Smile Inc. Announces Partnership with Yale-New Haven Children's Hospital

FAIRFIELD, CT- On Aug. 7, Brady's Smile, Inc. will officially offer comfort to little ones in the Newborn Special Care and Pediatric Intensive Care Units at the Yale-New Haven Children’s Hospital.

“We are thrilled to introduce three very special programs that are a step toward accomplishing our goal to make life easier for children in the intensive care unit. All three of our programs will be provided to newborn babies and children and their caregivers,” Annie and Matt Hinton, co-founders of Brady’s Smile, Inc., stated.

According to a press release issued by the couple, the new born unit cares for over 1,500 infants every year. The pediatric intensive care unit, on the other hand, cares for children who are recovering from illness, trauma, cardiothorccic surgery and transplant operations and serves more than 800 children throughout the year.

Matt and Annie said the continuous support over the past three months has enabled them to provide Brady's Smile comfort bags, blankets and music in both intensive care units.

Brady's Smile comfort bags will provide the basic essentials to caregivers as well as toys for babies and children. Brady blankets are homemade from fleece and will be distributed to the young patients during their time in intensive care.

“We spent so much time in the intensive care unit with Brady. We know how difficult and trying it can be on the child and caregivers. There were many sleepless nights, and a drink or snack meant the world to us,” Matt and Annie said.

“Days would pass without leaving his side to go home for a shower. But above all, we tried to make Brady as comfortable as possible in the intensive care environment.”

And, so, the couple filled their son’s crib with stuffed animals, music and constant love and have now used these memories to provide the same for other children.

“When we founded Brady's Smile, all of these memories came to mind. We had a distinct passion to make life easier in the intensive care unit,” the couple said.

Annie and Matt said the fleece blankets will provide a “secure feeling” for babies, especially premature babies and are very soft and snuggly.

“While Brady was in the hospital, we received a blanket and bundled him up every night. He truly seemed more comfortable, would grab the blanket and rub it against his cheek,” they said.

“It is our goal to provide blankets to all the babies in both units as well as children who are coming out of surgery. Each blanket will be tied with a Brady's Smile ribbon and will go home with the child upon discharge.”

In addition to offering comfort through blankets and toys, Matt and Annie were also inspired by their son’s love for music and had it incorporated into their program at the hospital.

“Every time we think about Brady, two things stand out about him. We want him to be remembered by - his beautiful, unforgettable smile and his love of music. Music was something that always brought a smile to his face,” they said.

The couple is excited to provide music to children in both intensive care units, as it brings back some of their fondest memories of their son, Brady.

According to Matt and Annie, a Yale therapist spoke to them about how music soothed children.

“We played soothing music for Brady 24/7 for weeks. After his failed transplant operation, we again played music for him day and night during his recovery,” the couple said. “We feel music is a very strong therapy and a wonderful way to help children. Music has a healing power that can not be described using medical terms.”

Matt and Annie said children are overwhelmed with the sounds of beeping machines in the unit, and music would offer a “welcomed distraction.”

“As you can imagine, it’s an unsettling environment for both the patient and caregiver alike. We know from experience that soothing music can help provide a welcomed distraction from everything going on around them. It is the one that our Brady would have loved the most,” they said.

Brady's Smile plans to provide crib-side CD players and music to the more than 50 cribs in the newborn special care unit as well as a combination of both crib-side CD players and regular CD players to those in the pediatric unit.

“We are committed to providing approximately 10 CD players each month but can only do that with support,” the couple said.

Matt and Annie hopes to complete the music program at the hospital by December 2008.

The couple said they have set out to touch children's lives with alongside their supporters but would like others to join their efforts.

“We are so honored and touched to provide these programs to the children at the Yale-New Haven Children’s Hospital,“ they said. “We want others to be a part of every step and share in our experience.

“We put a lot of time and effort into establishing each of these and hope for continued to support. We hope others feel as passionate about each program as we do.“

Matt and Annie would like to thank those who have helped them along the way and noted they’re speaking with other children's hospitals about ways Brady's Smile can help them, as well.

Click here for more information about Brady’s Smile, Inc.