September 28, 2018

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Caroline Cornish
Maine Medical Center
207-662-5146 / ccornish@mmc.org

Kristen Schulze Muszynski
Department of the Secretary of State
207-626-8404 / Kristen.muszynski@maine.gov

The Barbara Bush Children’s Hospital Specialty License Plate available Oct. 1

The Barbara Bush Children’s Hospital Registration Plate supports the health of Maine children and families.

PORTLAND, Maine – Families whose children have received care at The Barbara Bush Children’s Hospital at Maine Medical Center (BBCH) joined hospital leaders, lawmakers, Gov. Paul R. LePage and Maine Secretary of State Matt Dunlap Friday to celebrate the availability of a new specialty license plate benefitting the children’s hospital. The Barbara Bush Children’s Hospital registration plate will be available at Maine Bureau of Motor Vehicles branch offices and at select town offices in Maine starting Oct. 1.

“The Barbara Bush Children’s Hospital has played a major role in the lives of many Maine families, and its local convenience and expertise is a comfort to all Mainers who know we can depend on the hospital in our time of need,” said Secretary of State Matt Dunlap. “We are pleased to offer this specialty plate as a way for people to show their support for The Barbara Bush Children’s Hospital and contribute to its ongoing work of caring for our children.”

The plate costs $20 and the annual renewal fee is $15. $10 from every plate sold and $10 from every renewal will go directly to BBCH, making a difference in the lives of Maine children and their families. For instance, community donations are entirely responsible for the funding of the Angel Ambulance Program at BBCH. The ambulances transport more than 250 babies and children each year to Maine’s only children’s hospital so that they may benefit from a higher level of care.

“The Barbara Bush Children’s Hospital specialty license plate is the culmination of years of work from thousands of Mainers who have provided their support, their advocacy and their signatures,” said Maine Medical Center President and CEO Rich Petersen. “We appreciate everyone who has had a part in making this plate available, including the Legislature, the governor and the families of our patients, who understand how important this kind of community support is to improving the health of Maine’s children.”

The BBCH license plate was unanimously supported by the Maine Legislature and signed by Gov. LePage on April 19. “There is no better symbol of the gifts First Lady Barbara Bush gave to the people of Maine and our nation than this hospital that cares for our children,” said Governor LePage. “It is fitting that this year, as we remember and celebrate the life of this wonderful woman, Maine issues a license plate that raises funds for The Barbara Bush Children’s Hospital, continuing her legacy of giving.”

Families of former patients were among the plate’s biggest advocates and spoke passionately at a legislative hearing about the impact BBCH has had on their lives. The Westrich family, whose daughter, Madison, spent time at BBCH when she was 2 years old, was among those celebrating the plate’s release on Friday.

“I cannot express the feeling of comfort my family and I have experienced with the medical treatment and care from the staff at The Barbara Bush Children’s Hospital,” Kim Westrich said. “They have become like family to us. A license plate for The Barbara Bush Children’s Hospital is an investment in our children and our children’s children here in Maine.”

For more information about how you can purchase a BBCH license plate, go to bbch.org/licenseplate.

About The Barbara Bush Children’s Hospital
The Barbara Bush Children's Hospital (BBCH) at Maine Medical Center is committed to enhancing the lives of children through excellence in patient care, research, and education. With more than 100,000 annual patient visits, the hospital offers services in cancer treatment, cardiology, neonatal care, and numerous other pediatric specialties. Maine’s only certified children’s hospital is designed with children in mind with state-of-the-art hospital equipment, specialty programs and spacious play areas. From well-child visits to specialized medical and surgical treatment of complex, life-threatening illnesses and injuries, BBCH offers comprehensive inpatient and outpatient, family-centered care from an exceptional team of doctors, nurses and other medical professionals. For more information, visit www.bbch.org.

About Maine Medical Center
Maine Medical Center (MMC), recognized as a Best Regional Hospital by U.S. News and World Report for 2017-2018, is a complete health care resource for the people of Greater Portland and the entire state, as well as northern New England. Incorporated in 1868, MMC is the state’s largest medical center, licensed for 637 beds and employing nearly 8,700 people. MMC's unique role as both a community hospital and a referral center requires an unparalleled depth and breadth of services, including an active educational program and a world-class biomedical research center. As a nonprofit institution, Maine Medical Center provides nearly 23 percent of all the charity care delivered in Maine. MMC is a member of the MaineHealth system, a growing family of health care services in northern New England. For more information, visit www.mmc.org.