To help give the ACT’s most vulnerable babies a fighting chance this November, the Newborn Intensive Care Foundation (NICF) is urging Canberrans to “spend little, win big” for their new fundraising initiative – NICU November online raffle.
The NICF is a registered not for profit local charity established in 1995 and is 100 per cent voluntary (so no administration costs).
All funds raised by Canberra NICF are used to purchase medical and associated equipment for Canberra’s Centenary Hospital for Women and Children Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) to help support sick and premature newborn babies.
Funds may also be used to subsidise nurse education and training.
The medical equipment previously purchased by NICF has saved many babies’ lives, and improved the quality of life of many more with the vital equipment helping to prevent brain damage, lung damage, blindness, cerebral palsy and many other complications.
NICF coordinator, Tina Martinovic says “the month of November includes World Prematurity Day on 17 November and the national THANK U NICU Day which is held each year on the last Friday of November, making November an ideal time to support our sick and premature newborn babies in Canberra NICU”.
2021 Westfield Woden Local Hero winner and founder of NICF, Peter Cursley, says “getting involved and supporting this exciting new initiative can make a huge difference to the quality of life of our smallest and most vulnerable Canberrans”.
When Prudence Bibo’s son Ardie was born sick at 40+1 weeks, she was not prepared for the heart-wrenching journey they were about to embark on.
“Born with complications, baby Ardie spent time in NICU with a very long list of issues, including those where the cause was unknown,” Prudence says.
Their entire time in NICU was filled with tests after tests to determine what went wrong and why little Ardie was so sick.
“Constantly seeing a little baby being pricked and prodded for countless blood tests and scans was extremely difficult to witness, especially knowing that is your special little boy who is fighting so hard and didn’t even know it”.
Missing out on the crucial bonding time with her baby was particularly heartbreaking for Prudence.
“Spending hours and hours on end at hospital seeing your baby so sick is the hardest thing I have ever done and will probably ever do,” she says.
Against all odds, baby Ardie improved every day and was finally discharged home.
“Still too weak to feed himself, he was discharged with his nasogastric feeding tube up until he was five months old”.
Almost six months later, Ardie is now thriving.
“If it wasn’t for the team in NICU working tirelessly to find out how we could help him live his best life, we wouldn’t be where we are today,” Prudence says.
The NICU November online raffle tickets start at $5 each with the whole amount of every ticket purchase going towards helping sick and premature newborn babies in Canberra NICU – because life should not be a struggle when you are just a few hours old.
There are 15 prizes, 15 chances, and 15 winners; limited tickets are available.
The raffle will be drawn on 26 November at 11.35am.
Click here to find out more and to purchase tickets.
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