Genesis OB/GYN Rallies Around New Mom Who Lost Everything

Someday Baby Raymond Mays will have a remarkable story to tell about how he entered this world with nothing. How his family’s home burnt down, a complete loss, less than 24 hours before he was due to be born. His mom, dad and three siblings escaping the January 26th fire only after hearing their smoke alarms go off.

Image from the scene of the January 26, 2023
fire - photo credit Brian Bobb, WHBF

Mom and Baby Raymond escaped and are in good health. Their family is staying in temporary housing until they can relocate into a new home.

When the staff at the Genesis Bettendorf Obstetrics and Gynecological (OB/GYN) Clinic heard about the fire, they quickly organized an internal collection. Raymond’s mom, Tiana Jones, a Genesis OB/GYN patient has been coming in for checkups throughout her pregnancy.

As anyone who has had a baby knows, newborns require a lot of stuff: diapers, wipes, blankets, swaddles, bottles, clothes. The list is goes on, and the Genesis staff at our Bettendorf OB/GYN clinic are well aware of how challenging raising a newborn can be.

Tiana’s medical assistant, Christina Bailey, led the support drive, collecting money and all the necessary supplies Baby Raymond would need while his mom and dad scrambled to get back on their feet.

This month the Genesis OB/GYN Clinic donated hundreds of items to the Jones family. That includes diapers, clothes, bottles, a brand new pack-and-play and more–all the necessities that were lost the night of their fire.

Christina Bailey, MA, and Tiana Banks chat
while Raymond naps.

Jones says her family is doing their best to stay positive, but admits it is not easy raising a newborn AND getting their lives back in order after a house fire. She says this donation provides crucial help for Baby Raymond but also for her. With these supplies in hand she now has one less worry on her long list of concerns.

For staff at the clinic, it’s been an opportunity to “live out our mission,” and not only provide quality health services for all our patients, but also to show compassion and support for those in need.

As Baby Raymond grows and he and mom return to the clinic for various checkups, our staff can look back with pride knowing they have played a small, but special role in his life. And someday both he and his mom will have quite a story to tell.

And if you’d like to lend your support to Baby Raymond and his family as they work to get their lives back in order, you can do so at their GoFundMe page.