RBWH celebrates World Prematurity Day
On Thursday 17 November, RBWH celebrated a very big day for their very little patients.
As part of World Prematurity Day, former patients of the Grantley Stable Neonatology Unit and their families returned to the place where their journey began to celebrate how far they’ve come alongside the nurses and doctors who cared for them.
Each year, more than 27,000 babies are born prematurely in Australia, equating to one in ten. Many of these babies go on to live long and healthy lives, but sadly, many others face serious, lifelong health challenges. World Prematurity Day is a day to raise awareness of the prevalence of preterm births throughout the world and the impacts it can have on families.
RBWH is home to one of the largest maternity and neonatal units in Australia, with approximately 1800 babies admitted to the hospital per year – 600 of them premature.
New parents Dianne and Kristy Wills’ baby Lola was born at just 23 weeks and three days on the 3 July 2022 and has been cared for in the RBWH Neonatology Unit and Special Care Unit ever since.
“Kirsty and I live in Bundaberg, but just happened to be visiting Brisbane when Lola decided to make her very early entrance into the world,” Dianne said.
“We hadn’t yet done any of the things you do when you’re expecting a baby yet, like have a baby shower or setting up the nursery.
“We’ve spent most of our days at the hospital for the past five months now. Lola has just graduated to the Special Care Nursery, which is a huge milestone for us.”
RBWH Intensive Care Nursery Clinical Nurse Consultant Jackie Clement said World Prematurity Day is a day to celebrate the babies who were born too soon.
“For former families, it is a time to celebrate their baby’s prematurity journey and beyond, even if their baby is no longer with us. It is a time to acknowledge where they came from and where they are now, despite the challenges they faced or may still be facing,” Ms. Clement said.
“For present families, seeing former families can be a symbol of hope – hope and reassurance that there is life beyond the GSNU and that they too, will one day (hopefully), be a returning family with their baby.
“We want our premmie families to know that we see them, we hear them and we support them – and, that we are truly honoured to be a part of their family’s premmie journey.”