First Woman “Biggest Loser” Tours NICU With Nurses and March of Dimes Reps
Visit Part of Ali Vincent’s 20-City Mind, Body and Sole “Famous Footwear” Tour
STONY BROOK, N.Y., May 20, 2010 – Ali Vincent, the first woman to win “The Biggest Loser” competition that airs on NBC, came to Stony Brook University Medical Center to tour the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) on May 6. The NICU visit was part of Ali’s a 20-city Mind Body Sole Tour with Famous Footwear, which sponsors the “Random Acts of Kindness” program. NICU nurses and representatives of the Long Island March of Dimes Chapter discussed with Ali the prevalence of premature birth and how to care for babies born prematurely.
According to Famous Footwear, this aspect to the Random Acts of Kindness Program serves as a “thank you” and support for nurses, often the unsung heroes of the medical field who spend long days on their feet. At SBUMC, the NICU physicians, nurses and staff have joined
the March of Dimes in a national fight to save babies from premature birth and is the home of the March of Dimes NICU Family Support Program. More than half a million babies are born prematurely each year in the United States, and approximately 29,000 in New York State.
After the NICU tour, Ali shared her story of weight loss and a return to complete health with the NICU nurses and staff. In 2008, she lost 112 pounds over a 5-month period and won “The Biggest Loser” competition that year. She has since served to inspire others around the United States with her story and speaks about the importance of good nutrition, exercise, and healthy weight to thousands of people.
The NICU nurses were particularly tuned into Ali’s story, as a number of nurses and staff members participated in the department’s own competition to lose weight in 2009/10. The program lasted 13 weeks and was a success for many who participated.
Caption:
Ali Vincent, 2008 winner of “The Biggest Loser,” center, met with nurses and staff in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at Stony Brook University Medical Center and representatives of the March of Dimes of Long Island. Behind Ali is Carl Bachmann, Chair, March of Dimes, Long Island. In Ali’s row are, from left: Bette-Sue Burklund, Ali’s mother; and SBUMC nurses Kristi Tramposch, RN; Cheryl Pouletsos, RN, NICU Nurse Manger; Adriann Combs, RNC, Chair, NYS Nurse Advisory Committee March of Dimes; and Christine Mair, clerk. Front row, from left: Lindsey Soto Villanueva, of the March of Dimes NICU program at SBUMC; Kristine Kilanowski, RN; Carol LiVolsi, RN, and Kathleen Gilsbach, RN.
