Mike & Holly Overman
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Mike and Holly Overman lost their identical twin daughters, Libby and Lucy, in 2019 due to preterm birth. Though devastated by their loss, they were incredibly appreciative for the care they received and impressed with the research being done by the University of North Carolina Prematurity Prevention Program in the Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine.
The Libby and Lucy Overman fund was established as an expression of their gratitude and support, while also creating a legacy for their daughters. The Libby and Lucy Overman Fund to Support Prematurity will provide support to pregnant mothers at high risk for preterm birth, help families who have recently delivered a premature baby or babies, and work to advance preterm birth research. |
What has the fund been used for?
- gas gift cards: to make it easier for women at risk for delivering preterm to attend clinic / regular prenatal visits and those who have recently delivered preterm to visit their baby in the neonatal intensive care unit
- antepartum care packages: comfort items are provided to help support mothers who have experienced pregnancy complications and must remain hospitalized for a prolonged periods of time during pregnancy and are at high risk for ultimately delivering preterm.
- The Libby and Lucy Overman Prematurity Pilot Grant Award will provide preliminary funding to ‘kickstart’ advances in prematurity research while also creating a legacy for their daughters. Research topics of interest to the grant committee are broad within the areas of clinical and translational research related to prematurity during both the antenatal and postnatal periods and may focus on identification of women at highest risk, treatment strategies, psychosocial support, and postnatal care. Funding preference is given to young investigators and work that may lead to other funded projects or have an impact on the local community, though all eligible individuals are encouraged to apply.
What will the fund be used for in the future?
- Additional research efforts in Maternal Fetal Medicine and neonatology
- To support women and families affected by prematurity by assisting with logistic and/or financial challenges associated with preterm birth
- gas gift cards: to make it easier for women at risk for delivering preterm to attend clinic / regular prenatal visits and those who have recently delivered preterm to visit their baby in the neonatal intensive care unit
- antepartum care packages: comfort items are provided to help support mothers who have experienced pregnancy complications and must remain hospitalized for a prolonged periods of time during pregnancy and are at high risk for ultimately delivering preterm.
- The Libby and Lucy Overman Prematurity Pilot Grant Award will provide preliminary funding to ‘kickstart’ advances in prematurity research while also creating a legacy for their daughters. Research topics of interest to the grant committee are broad within the areas of clinical and translational research related to prematurity during both the antenatal and postnatal periods and may focus on identification of women at highest risk, treatment strategies, psychosocial support, and postnatal care. Funding preference is given to young investigators and work that may lead to other funded projects or have an impact on the local community, though all eligible individuals are encouraged to apply.
- The application deadline for the first round of grant submissions will be June 11th. More details are available here
- Only investigators with a UNC affiliation are eligible to apply. The application is available online at here
What will the fund be used for in the future?
- Additional research efforts in Maternal Fetal Medicine and neonatology
- To support women and families affected by prematurity by assisting with logistic and/or financial challenges associated with preterm birth
The Libby and Lucy Overman Fund was recently highlighted in an article on the UNC Health Foundation website. Click here to read the article!
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Shown here are some samples of the care packages that have been distributed to families affected by prematurity.
Each care package is accompanied by a hand written note offering support and encouragement. Care packages are focused on helping mothers and families care for themselves while they are in the hospital for a prolonged period of time leading up to delivery, or while their baby is in the newborn critical care unit at UNC. 
Gas card gift and handwritten card. Parking passes to the UNC patient parking deck are also provided for some individuals who are in need.
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Antepartum care package for mothers who are in the hospital for prolonged periods of time due to pregnancy complications and are at high risk for preterm birth.
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Care package for mothers and families with a baby or babies in the neonatal intensive care unit. Items include chapstick, mints, snacks, soft Kleenex, and a portable phone charger. A NICU Journal is also provided for mothers to chart their neonate's progress. A similar version of the journal is available in Spanish for our Spanish-speaking families.
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