Penn Highlands DuBois Babies Benefit from Sweet Beginnings

On December 16, 2025, Stephanie Kear, Manager of The Winery at Wilcox, presented a check to Penn Highlands Healthcare leaders from sales of its Sweet Beginnings wine. The local winery created the Sweet Beginnings wine to benefit the babies born at Penn Highlands DuBois – specifically the Maternal and Child Center and Neonatal Intensive Care Unit’s (NICU) Safe Sleep Begins at Birth Program.

The Safe Sleep Begins at Birth Program provides parents with a complimentary sleep sack swaddle for
their baby. Every baby born at Penn Highlands DuBois, including those in the NICU, benefit from this
program which is part of Penn Highlands DuBois’ safe sleep initiative to help reduce the risk of Sudden
Unexpected Infant Death.

“We are very grateful to The Winery at Wilcox for embracing our Safe Sleep Begins at Birth program as
well as the members of the community who purchased the Sweet Beginnings wine,” said Danyell Bundy,
System Fund Development Executive Director for Penn Highlands Healthcare.

We greatly appreciate The Winery at Wilcox’s commitment to our tiniest patients,” said Suzanne
McCullough, BSN, RN-NIC, Director, Neonatal Intensive Care Unit and Apnea-Reflux/Developmental
Clinic at Penn Highlands DuBois. “Swaddling a baby can calm them and help the baby sleep on their back
which is the safe sleep position.”

According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, more than 3,500 infants die of sleep-related
infant deaths, such as but not limited to sudden infant death syndrome. Approximately 61% of these deaths
occur in unsafe sleep environments.

“On behalf of the parents and babies who will benefit from this generous donation, I thank The Winery at
Wilcox for this generous donation,” said Sharon Shattenberg, RN, BN, Maternal Child Service Line Director, for Penn Highlands Healthcare.

For more information on how you can contribute, contact the Penn Highlands Healthcare Fund Development office directly at 814-375-3901 or [email protected].