Oamaru Opera House joins Global prematurity campaign

Oamaru Opera House joins
Global prematurity campaign and ‘Lights Up Purple’

Landmarks around New Zealand will be lit up alongside international landmarks in a campaign for World Prematurity Day on 17 November.

This is the second year New Zealand has taken part in the ‘Lighting Up Purple’ campaign, which is designed to raise awareness of the 15 million babies born prematurely worldwide each year.

The beautiful Oamaru Opera House is one of the many buildings joining in the awareness campaign.

David McFarlane, the Oamaru Opera House Marketing Manager says “Oamaru Opera House is proud to participate in the World Prematurity Day by lighting up purple and help to raise awareness of the value of neonatal care. We will be lit up from Tuesday 10th November, running through to World Prematurity Day on Tuesday 17th November.”

Among the other buildings turning purple across New Zealand are Wellington’s Michael Fowler Centre, the Christchurch International Airport Terminal and Control Tower and the Clock Towers in Blenheim, Gisborne and New Plymouth. Past international participants include the Empire State Building, Niagara Falls and the Trevi Fountain.

Every year:

• Over 800 babies pass through the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) in Christchurch hospital

• Over 300 babies pass through the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) in Dunedin hospital

• Over 50 babies pass through the Special Care Baby Unit (SCBU) in Timaru hospital

These babies are either born premature, or require additional care due to complications or illness.

A premature baby is born every 90 minutes on average in New Zealand. That’s more than 5,000 or 10 percent of all babies each year who have to go through a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) or Special Care Baby Unit (SCBU). In addition to premature babies, sick full-term babies are cared for in neonatal units. The complications these babies face are often only apparent once the baby is born.

New Zealand’s lighting up campaign is headed by The Neonatal Trust New Zealand. The Trust supports families of premature and sick full-term babies across New Zealand.

“The charity works to support neonatal families as they make their journey through a neonatal unit, the transition home and onwards” said Neil O’Styke, Executive Director of The Neonatal Trust.

“We are incredibly grateful for the support we receive and the willingness of these incredible landmarks to get involved. It’s just another example of the incredible support the New Zealand community gives charities.”

Many New Zealanders are personally affected, or have friends and family who have experienced premature births or had a sick baby require specialist care.

“It’s an issue which affects a significant amount of our population, and we are excited to see the New Zealand community get behind our campaign” he adds.

ENDS

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