The NeoHERO Foundation® is a purpose-driven nonprofit dedicated to transforming neonatal care outside hospital walls. Founded in 2025 and based in South Carolina, NeoHERO exists to address a critical and often overlooked gap in emergency medical care: the training, preparedness, and resources needed to save the lives of newborns before they reach the hospital. For too long, emergency responders have gone into prehospital calls without the specific knowledge, tools, and confidence required to perform effective neonatal resuscitation — a situation that can mean the difference between life and death in the first crucial minutes of a newborn’s life.

At its core, the NeoHERO mission is simple but powerful — to improve neonatal health by providing expert guidance, specialized resources, equipment, and education to EMS and other prehospital responders. This mission grew out of real-world experience: the foundation’s founder, Board-Certified Neonatal Nurse Practitioner Lindsay Spurgeon, witnessed firsthand how a lack of neonatal training and appropriate equipment hampered emergency responders during a critical delivery. That experience sparked a vision to close the gap between hospital-based neonatal expertise and the reality of out-of-hospital emergencies.

Mission in Action: Training, Resources, and Preparedness

NeoHERO’s work centers on education and practical preparedness. While standard certifications such as Basic Life Support (BLS) and Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS) are common among EMS personnel, the American Academy of Pediatrics’ Neonatal Resuscitation Program (NRP) — the gold standard for newborn resuscitation training — has not traditionally been a requirement for prehospital providers. Without this specialized education, providers may lack confidence in ventilating newborns effectively or performing coordinated resuscitation steps when seconds matter most.

To directly address this gap, NeoHERO offers NRP training and is actively recruiting instructors who are passionate about improving neonatal outcomes. These instructors deliver engaging, evidence-based, hands-on training that equips first responders with the skills and confidence to act decisively during a neonatal emergency. Whether volunteers or compensated, instructors play a vital role in expanding the reach of this life-saving education and reinforcing best practices tailored to the prehospital environment.

Beyond training, NeoHERO understands that knowledge alone isn’t enough without the right tools. Standard EMS equipment often lacks the size-appropriate devices needed to safely manage a tiny newborn’s airway, ventilation, and thermoregulation. To overcome this, NeoHERO has developed and distributes specialized NeoPACKs™ — neonatal prehospital care kits that include properly sized masks, resuscitation tools, thermoregulation supplies, and other critical equipment so responders are ready to intervene confidently and effectively.

Strategic Vision: Building a National Standard

NeoHERO’s strategic vision goes well beyond individual courses and equipment kits. The foundation is committed to building a comprehensive neonatal education ecosystem for emergency responders, including advanced classroom instruction, high-fidelity simulation training, and immersive mock codes that strengthen teamwork, communication, and crisis performance under pressure.

A centerpiece of this strategic expansion is the NeoMASTER COURSE™©, a training program designed by EMS professionals for EMS professionals. This course aims to become a national standard for excellence in prehospital neonatal care education, with ongoing efforts to achieve formal review and recognition from national continuing education bodies.

By investing in advanced education, hands-on practice, and appropriate equipment, NeoHERO seeks to make neonatal resuscitation competency as expected and routine for prehospital providers as it is for hospital clinicians. This systemic approach not only elevates individual caregiver performance but also fosters a broader culture of preparedness and excellence in neonatal care across emergency medical systems.

Proven Impact and Community Recognition

In a short time, the NeoHERO Foundation has already begun to make a measurable impact. The organization and its leadership have received recognition through community awards and nominations that underscore its commitment to quality education and service innovation. These accolades reflect the foundation’s growing influence and the value stakeholders place on its work.

Get Involved: Volunteer, Teach, Support

The need for passionate advocates and skilled instructors is real. Individuals who want to make a difference — whether as volunteer instructors, clinical educators, or community advocates — are encouraged to join NeoHERO’s mission. Instructors help deliver essential training that empowers first responders and saves lives. Volunteers can also support outreach, equipment deployment, and community education efforts.

To learn more or get involved, visit https://www.neoherofoundation.org. There you’ll find information about instructor opportunities, volunteer roles, and other ways to support this mission. For direct contact, NeoHERO can be reached via email at Lindsay.Spurgeon@neoHEROfoundation.org or by phone at (854) 256-8100.