Muma Children's Hospital at TGH Opens New Family Care Center at ZooTampa at Lowry Park

Family care center offers safety and comfort to new parents during family fun at the zoo.

TAMPA, Fla., April 11, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The new family care center at ZooTampa offers new moms a welcoming space to feed infants during visits to the family-favorite destination. Presented by the Muma Children's Hospital at TGH, the family care center at ZooTampa is one of many initiatives of Tampa General Hospital (TGH) to support the health and well-being of the broader community.

"World-class care is not limited to the four walls of a hospital. Through our partnerships in communities across the state, we're working to support the health and well-being of Floridians in spaces where they live, work and play," said John Couris, president and CEO of Tampa General. "Here at ZooTampa, families can explore the trails and enjoy the wildlife while also having a comfortable place to go and care for their young children."

Couris was joined by Melissa Golombek, vice president of Muma Children's Hospital at TGH and TGH Women's Institute, and Tiffany Burns, senior director of Animal Programs at ZooTampa, to cut the ribbon on the new facility and welcome families into the space.

"Our partnership with ZooTampa is a natural opportunity to promote health and wellness where families already enjoy exploring the great outdoors and learning about wildlife," said Golombek. "With the new family care center presented by Muma Children's Hospital at TGH, parents have some privacy from the wild while they care for their newest additions."

The family care center, known as The Lil' Joey Family Stop, is located in the new Australia section of the zoo. It offers a comfortable, private space for mothers to nurse their children or pump. The room includes comfortable seating, power outlets, a side table, activity boards, a bottle warmer, a television and a sink. Once inside, parents can lock the door for privacy. The center is open daily during Zoo hours from 9:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

"We're always looking for new, innovative ways to improve the Zoo experience for our guests and members and make our park as accessible and comfortable as possible," said Burns. "We're grateful to Muma Children's Hospital at TGH for their support and continued collaborations with the Zoo to ensure the health and wellness of Tampa Bay families while enjoying wildlife."

As the exclusive medical partner of ZooTampa, the family care center is one of many united efforts by Tampa General and ZooTampa to support health and wellness. In February, ZooTampa invited the community to explore a new walking trail developed in collaboration with Tampa General. This fitness opportunity is a one-mile loop that connects guests with animal habitats while allowing walkers to track their progress. Last year, the Muma Children's Hospital at TGH and ZooTampa teamed up to host a Kids Fun Run at the zoo.

ABOUT TAMPA GENERAL HOSPITAL
Tampa General Hospital, a 981-bed, not-for-profit, academic health system, is one of the largest hospitals in America and delivers world-class care as the region's only center for Level l trauma and comprehensive burn care. Tampa General Hospital is the highest-ranked hospital in the market in U.S. News & World Report's 2023-24 Best Hospitals, with six specialties ranking among the top 50 best hospital programs in the United States. Tampa General Hospital has been designated as a model of excellence by the 2022 Fortune/Merative 100 Top Hospitals list. The academic health system's commitment to growing and developing its team members is recognized by two prestigious Forbes magazine rankings ? in the top 100 nationally in the 2023 America's Best Employers for Women and top 25 in Florida in the 2023 America's Best Employers by State. Tampa General is the safety net hospital for the region, caring for everyone regardless of their ability to pay, and in fiscal year 2021, provided a net community benefit of approximately $240.3 million in the form of health care for underinsured patients, community education, and financial support to community health organizations in Tampa Bay. It is one of the nation's busiest adult solid organ transplant centers and is the primary teaching hospital for the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine. With six medical helicopters, Tampa General Hospital transports critically injured or ill patients from 23 surrounding counties to receive the advanced care they need. Tampa General houses a nationally accredited comprehensive stroke center, and its 32-bed Neuroscience, Intensive Care Unit is the largest on the West Coast of Florida. It also is home to the Muma Children's Hospital at TGH, the Jennifer Leigh Muma 82-bed neonatal intensive care unit, and a nationally accredited rehabilitation center. Tampa General Hospital's footprint includes TGH North which is comprised of three hospitals and several outpatient locations in Citrus and Hernando counties, 17 Tampa General Medical Group Primary Care offices, TGH Family Care Center Kennedy, TGH Outpatient Center, TGH Virtual Health, and 21 TGH Imaging outpatient radiology centers throughout Hillsborough, Pasco, Pinellas and Palm Beach counties. Tampa Bay area residents also receive world-class care from the TGH Urgent Care powered by Fast Track network of clinics. To see a medical care professional live anytime, anywhere on a smartphone, tablet or computer, visit Virtual Health | Tampa General Hospital (tgh.org).  As one of the largest hospitals in the country, Tampa General Hospital is the first in Florida to partner with GE Healthcare and open a clinical command center that provides real-time situational awareness to improve and better coordinate patient care at a lower cost. For more information, go to www.tgh.org.

About ZooTampa at Lowry Park
ZooTampa at Lowry Park is operated by the Lowry Park Zoological Society, an independent 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization committed to excellence in conservation, education, and research. The Zoo, an accredited member of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) for over 30 years, is recognized as Florida's leading and most attended zoological cultural attraction. ZooTampa and its David A. Straz, Jr. Manatee Critical Care, were voted among the "Best Zoos" and "Best Zoo Exhibits" in USA TODAY 10Best Readers' Choice Travel Awards. The Zoo is also a twelve-time winner of the Trip Advisor Travelers' Choice Award (2010-2023), ranking it among the top 10% of attractions worldwide. ZooTampa is a nationally recognized leader in the rehabilitation and care of Florida species. ZooTampa is one of only 3 places in the United States that can take in critically injured and sick manatees and one of only two facilities that can care for orphaned calves. Through its ZT Saves conservation initiative, ZooTampa provides support to local and global conservation programs that are positioned at the forefront of species survival. The Zoo is located at 1101 W. Sligh Avenue in Tampa and is open seven days a week (except Thanksgiving and Christmas) from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., with extended hours for select events. For more information, visit www.zootampa.org or follow us on Facebook, Instagram, X, TikTok and YouTube.

Media Contact: Amanda Bevis
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SOURCE Tampa General Hospital