Donor Impact Stories

Help and hope for expecting mothers

Thanks to the passion of donors like the Nicol family, this little girl was born a happy and healthy baby. The Life Shines Bright Pregnancy Program, an initiative of the Methodist Health System, provides resources for at-risk expectant mothers to help reduce the risk of preterm birth. By offering prenatal care, education and networking opportunities with other moms-to-be, Life Shines Bright has reduced the preterm birth rate to 5.6% for program participants, compared with 20% in the Methodist Dallas service area. Roughly one in seven babies is born prematurely in Texas, but thanks to the generous donations from the William F. and Noreen L. Nicol Fund, Life Shines Bright and Methodist Health System are working to beat the odds.

When the Nicols created a fund with Communities Foundation of Texas to benefit specific area needs, they made sure the fund would continue to make a difference even after they were gone. After their passing, CFT reviewed several worthy projects with their family and recommended Life Shines Bright. Crystal Charity Ball approached CFT with an offer to triple the amount of the grant as part of a one-time matching opportunity. By leveraging those additional resources, CFT made sure donations from the Nicol Fund went even further to improve life for little girls like Regina and her mother, Elizabeth.