The Tiny Miracles Foundation, based in Darien, has announced the addition of two new members to its Hospital/Medical Advisory Board: Dr. John F. Ciannella and Dr. Joseph A. Vitterito II.
Each doctor heads the neonatology department at his hospital.
— an announcement from the Tiny Miracles Foundation, with additional information from sources noted at bottom
John F. Ciannella
Ciannella is the director of neonatology at Stamford Health and is a fellowship-trained and board-certified neonatologist.
Since 2008 he has been caring for newborn infants and those who are premature or diagnosed with complex medical and rare conditions and those who are critically ill.
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Dr. John F. Ciannella, director of neotatology at Stamford Hospital
Ciannella oversees the care and development of newborns and premature babies, diagnosing congenital conditions such as airway birth defects, kidney defects, lung development conditions and other complex conditions.
He utilizes advanced technologies and new pharmaceutical therapies to improve survival and quality of life. Ciannella also treats neonatal emergencies that arise either during or after birth and those who are transported to the hospital or transferred from other hospitals.
He is an expert in treating the most-high risk, complex newborns, including those born premature.
As director of neonatology, Ciannella led an initiative to include more physician assistants and neonatal nurse practitioners within the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) team.
During his free time, Ciannella enjoys staying active through sports, exercise and outdoor activities with his family and friends. He lives in Wilton.
Joseph A. Vitterito II
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Joseph Vitterito is the chair of the Department of Pediatrics and chief of the Division of Neonatology at St. Vincent’s Medical Center
Joseph Vitterito is the chair of the Department of Pediatrics and chief of the Division of Neonatology at St. Vincent’s Medical Center, a division of Hartford Healthcare. He is also fellowship-trained and board-certified in Neonatal/Perinatal Medicine.
He is the author of several publications including the children’s books “My Brother is a Preemie” and “My Sister is a Preemie.”
A board certified in neonatal/perinatal medicine, Vitterito previously worked at Elliot Hospital in Manchester, New Hampshire, where he was an attending neonatologist of a 31-bed Level III unit.
He has also served as an attending Neonatologist at the Juan F. Luis Hospital in Christiansted, U.S. Virgin Islands, providing neonatology services in their Level II/III nursery at the only hospital on St. Croix. Vitterito provided essential services prior to, during and after the latest hurricanes impacting the island in the fall of 2017.
About the Tiny Miracles Foundation
The Tiny Miracles Foundation (TTMF) assists over 1,000 local families per year throughout Fairfield County through programs at our five partner hospitals: Stamford, Norwalk, Bridgeport, Danbury, and St. Vincent’s Medical Center and services to the community at large.
Support provided by TTMF volunteers who have personally experienced the premature birth of a baby, the complications that arise, the challenges families face, and in sad cases, the loss of a precious tiny miracle, is invaluable to these families and is one of the many things that makes TTMF so special.
TTMF is in its 16th year supporting preemies and their families in Fairfield County. To learn more about the Tiny Miracles Foundation and their support programs, please go to www.ttmf.org or call the office at 203-202-9714.
Upcoming events include the Family Fun Day and NICU Reunion, a free event open to all families of premature children, at Cranbury Park on May 31, 2020 and the annual golf and tennis events, Tee Up FORE Preemies and Grand Slam for Preemies, at Aspetuck Valley Country Club on June 22, 2020.
TTMF also hosts a free biweekly playgroup for newborn to 3-year-old preemies in Darien and Bridgeport.
Additional information in this article came from the Stamford Health website and St. Vincent’s Medical Center website.