West Lincoln Memorial Hospital's A Star is Born Program is Newborn Photography with a Purpose

The West Lincoln Memorial Hospital is a well-known hospital in our area, with many families choosing to deliver their babies there.

 In fact, I was born in this hospital, and I delivered two of my babies in this hospital with a wonderful experience both times.

The staff and service at this hospital are amazing, but the unit itself needs a much-deserved upgrade. I toyed around with how I could use my gift of photography to give back to this hospital and add some beauty to the walls of such a beloved place.

In 2013, I contacted the hospital, and we kicked around a few different collaborations. Finally, the “A Star is Born” (ASIB) program was created! Since we started ASIB in 2013, we’ve had over 160 families enroll in the program and raised over $8,000.

I’d love to share more about how the program works and the impact that it’s made on the hospital, patients, and the unexpected way it impacts me. 

How Does the Program Work? 

Every family that chooses to give birth at this hospital receives a welcome box with goodies from various businesses, services, etc. In each welcome box is a brochure that explains the ASIB program. 

If a family chooses to make the $50 donation, they receive a complimentary Petite Newborn session that’s exclusive to ASIB participants. The $50 donation goes directly to the hospital fund and is put towards building the new hospital and making unit improvements. 

For the hospital staff, the A Star is Born program is a source of pride and community enrichment. Recently, I caught up with Catherine Duffin, the Site Director, and she remarked, "They love this program. It certainly enhances the community aspect of our unit, and it's well-promoted. I know every time I walk into that unit, I enjoy seeing all those wonderful pictures on the Hall of Fame. It also creates a really nice environment for our patients as well to see those really great pictures on the wall, professionally taken and really thoughtfully photographed. The Hall of Fame enhances the environment. In general, the staff really love the program, I think they definitely endorse it.”

What is a Petite Newborn Session vs. a Full-Service Session 

The Petite Newborn session is a simple, classic studio newborn portrait that doesn’t include parents, siblings, or the full-service process leading up to the session. But that doesn’t mean this session is any less special! 

The whole process takes 30 minutes. After the baby is fed and changed, we spend 10 minutes capturing the perfect portrait for your family, and the A Star is Born Hall of Fame Recognition Wall. After we’re done capturing images, I can pull up your images immediately so that you can choose which ones you’d like to purchase. 

Some families really want the full-service newborn photography experience, so that’s also an option. The full-service process includes styling, wardrobe, professional hair and makeup for mom, a longer session with family members, and an image reveal and ordering session. Sometimes, my full-service clients will make the ASIB donation so that their baby is added to the Hall of Fame. 

West Lincoln Memorial Hospital’s A Star is Born Hall of Fame Recognition Wall 

Each ASIB newborn is added to a beautifully printed collage that we’ve called The Hall of Fame. Creating the Hall of Fame at the hospital has been such a joy for me. Patients and staff love walking down the halls and seeing all those sweet, beautiful faces. 

The Hall of Fame brings joy to everyone who sees it and builds trust with the hospital. Looking at all the beautiful images clearly shows the years of all of these successful deliveries and confirms their choice about delivering at West Lincoln. 

As moms come and go for their appointments, right up until they are laboring in the unit, they see beautiful, calming photos of these babies and know that very soon, they’ll be holding their own baby.

Something else that I didn’t expect was for this program to become a special tradition for families delivering at the hospital. 

Duffin shared, “Most people enter into the program because they love having their baby included in the Hall of Fame. They can see their legacy there on the wall. What’s been really cool is when the family has another baby. The parents can take the older sibling to the wall and say, look, there's you on the wall. They know they’re adding another baby to it. It’s a neat aspect.”

Supporting Families Delivering at West Lincoln Memorial 

I’m honoured to have created this program. It’s a wonderful way to give back and meet all the new babies born at West Lincoln. When my ASIB families come to the studio, I always love hearing about their hospital experiences. Recently, I captured sweet baby Charlee for mom Trisha, and she was kind enough to share this review of West Lincoln and her ASIB session experience. 

“It was a long labour and I feel so thankful to all the nurses, staff, and Dr. Nwebube’s team who followed my journey and supported me during her birth. The care and attention I received at West Lincoln Memorial Hospital was above and beyond!

Karen is a baby whisperer – her care and tenderness towards Charlee during the photo shoot set her at ease immediately. The photoshoot was incredibly smooth and quick. Karen’s turnaround time was quick and her photos were so special. I am so happy with the decision to book a photo shoot with her and I will have photos and a video as a keepsake forever

I love everything about Charlee! She’s absolutely perfect, and she’s everything I have been hoping for since I was a little girl dreaming about what my family will look like one day!” - Trisha Chill

Preserving Legacies 

So, how are the funds used? The Foundation Director Pamela Ellens explains, "The funds that are gifted to the foundation for the photoshoot go to the medical equipment. The government only provides operating expenses for hospitals, so all capital needs, all equipment and everything has to come from within the community."

Eventually, the hospital will have a new, beautiful space. What will happen to the Hall of Fame then? Ellens shared this with me, “The A Star is Born Hall of Fame will have a new look in the new hospital. It is definitely coming with us.”
If you have any questions about the program's newborn photography services, feel free to contact me here.