LONDON, Ky. — Southeastern Kentucky families with premature babies now have easier access to the healthcare they need closer to their homes and neighborhoods.

What You Need To Know

  • A nearly $2 million level II NICU wing was unveiled Monday at St. Joseph in London

  • Previously, the closest NICU unit was in Lexington 

  • The 4,600-square-foot space will cut down on drive time for parents of premature babies in need of crucial care 

  • London serves Laurel County and six other surrounding counties in its region of southeastern Kentucky

Saint Joseph Hospital in London cut the ribbon Monday afternoon on its brand new Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, bringing long needed care to the area. The nearly $2 million Level II NICU wing was unveiled Monday.

“We’re situated right in the middle of everybody in the area and the region, so I’m just thankful to have this facility in Laurel County,” said State Senator Brandon Storm, R-London.

Previously, if a baby was born prematurely, the closest NICU Unit was in Lexington. Parents of premature babies, like Storm, would have to drive an hour, sometimes more, to be with their newborn and baby’s mother.

“With premature babies, obviously there’s a lot of critical issues that go into play and as a parent you’re scared for your child, you’re scared for your spouse so it’s a very nerve-wracking situation,” Storm said.

The over 4600-square-foot space will provide specialty care to over 100 babies.

“It’s unique in the sense that the rooms are individual, so it promotes the one-on-one care, the skin-to-skin contact between the baby and the mother,” said Saint Joseph London President John Yanes.

Yanes said the project was mostly funded from the Appalachian Regional Commission in addition to other local partners.

“London serves a regional area of about six counties so you can imagine the impact it will have on all those residents throughout that six-county area,” Yanes said.

Storm said by adding this wing on to the hospital families in southern Kentucky won’t have excess cost of gas or worry about finding lodging in Lexington.

“I had to travel back and forth daily, my wife had to stay up there because she was caring for the children and obviously they were in the NICU so each hour she had to go over to the hospital to spend time with them and we had one child she was able to hold. So I traveled back and forth each day to try and make ends meet,” Storm said.

Construction began in 2021 and, prior to becoming a NICU ward, the space was used as a COVID wing during the pandemic.

Saint Joseph London was opened in 2010 and at the time cost $152 million to build.

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