Nurturing Regional NICU Families

We are thrilled to spill the beans on a secret project that’s been almost 9 months in the making!

With the hugest of thanks to Telethon 7 and Nicole Pates of Western Kids Health we bring you Nurturing Regional NICU Families.

Aiming to close the gap for graduate NICU families living in rural, regional and remote areas of WA by providing free access to virtual therapist support and a unique, strength based, online program to build connection, improve bonding and work towards developmental milestones.

Eligible families will receive a 12 month Baby Play Academy membership, an online program created by paediatric physiotherapists, occupational therapists and psychologists to support your baby's development from birth to walking.

If you are living rural, regional or remote and have been discharged home in last few months (since 1/1/23) you are eligible to apply. The program is best commenced within a few weeks of returning home and the cut off point for participation will be adjusted each month.

Health professionals and others interested in this program can download and print this flyer for distribution, or contact us if you would like copies sent to you.

Telethon Beneficiaries

What a privilege to be one of 107 remarkable beneficiaries of the Telethon 7 Trust. We wish to extend our deepest gratitude to everyone who gives generously so that we can all make an impact on WA children and young people.

We are thrilled to be delivering more care packages than ever before, providing Developmental Playgroup places and launching an exciting new program for regional families. We can’t wait to share more about that soon!

Most Premature Babies PSP

The INPRES Partnership want your help to identify the questions that you have about the most premature babies born before 25 weeks of gestation (about 4 months early), to help us guide future research.

We would like to hear from healthcare professionals who look after premature babies, parents/carers or family members, and from people with different lived experiences of being a premature baby themselves.

Who we are working with:

INPRES is working with the James Lind Alliance in a Priority Setting Partnership (PSP) to identify the top 10 research priorities for the most premature babies within Australia and the UK.

How can you take part?

Preterm Lung Health Consensus Workshop

Would you like to take part in the final stages of establishing the community’s Top 10 research priorities for the lung health of people born prematurely?

The Children’s Lung Health Team at Telethon Kids Institute invite you to take part in their Consensus Workshop on 3 December at Telethon Kids Institute, Perth Children’s Hospital. At the worskhop you will be involved in selecting and ranking the Top 10 research questions/themes that were identified in the Preterm Lung Health Research Prioritisation Survey.

If you were born prematurely, care for someone born prematurely, are a family member of someone born prematurely, or are a health professional with an interest in the lung health of people born prematurely, we encourage you to be involved.

Simply register your interest in attending here:

https://curtin.au1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_6A3NthV30CCcpRc?fbclid=IwAR0mOgRQ2-Voq-Tx1jkSpYKAiC95EDLgTks4r8snFaVC5PwdrCS-NE9c0Fs

Refreshments will be provided, and travel expenses will be covered.

Thank you for considering this important opportunity.

Neonatal November 2022

With 15 million babies born early all around the world each year, prematurity is a critical issue! Every day in WA we experience 12 or more admissions to Neonatal Units. Partnering with organisations all over the world we aim to light as many buildings and landmarks purple as possible to help shine a light on this critical issue. We invite you to light a candle or shine your own purple light to join the global wave at 7pm on November 17. Since 2013 we have been coordinating lighting in Western Australia and the community support we have received has grown and grown.  We are delighted to have support from the following venues and landmarks this year:

  • Albany Town Square

  • Alison Hartman Gardens, Albany

  • Perth Children’s Hospital ‘Fizz’

  • The Kids’ Bridge, PCH

  • Matagarup Bridge

  • The Sky Ribbon

  • Mount Street Bridge

  • Fremantle Prison Gatehouse

  • Perth Concert Hall

  • The Bell Tower

  • ECU Joondalup

  • Mandurah Bridge

  • Council House Perth *from 10:30pm

  • Yagan Square and Water Fountain

  • Elizabeth Quay

  • King Edward Memorial Hospital entry

  • Trafalgar Bridge, East Perth *from 10:30pm

  • Eastern Goldfields Community Centre, Kalgoorlie

  • William Grundt Memorial Library, Kalgoorlie

  • QV1 Tower

  • Busselton Civic Centre *unable to change lighting will be running an LED banner with special message

  • Brockman Street, Manjimup

  • Rockingham Beach Foreshore

  • Graham Farmer Freeway Tunnel entrance

  • Joondalup Drive Bridge

We would love you to get out and about to enjoy the purple lighting.  Huge thanks to everyone on the list above.  Please let them know what it means to you to see them light it up purple!

Some members, volunteers are supporters will be walking across Matagarup Bridge as the sun sets over Perth to take in the purple lighting. You are welcome to join us, meeting at the playground on Burswood side of the bridge at 6:30pm.

Don’t forget to tag us when sharing to your social media @tinysparkswa #worldprematurityday #neonatalnovember

**Please note this list is subject to change.