The Little Miracles Trust World Prematurity Day Campaign

What:

Sunday 17th November is World Prematurity Day, and in recognition of the 5,000 babies born prematurely in New Zealand each year, the Little Miracles Trust is launching its annual Neonatal November Campaign with a wave of purple light. Over 60 iconic landmarks across New Zealand, including Auckland’s Eden Park, Wellington’s Bucket Fountain, Nelson’s Cathedral and Dunedin’s Airport will light up purple to raise awareness for the 5,000 families navigating their challenging journey through a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) or Special Care Baby Unit (SCBU) each year.

Key activities include:

• 60+ landmarks across NZ lighting up purple to raise awareness for premature babies and their families.
• Morning teas hosted in the 23 Neonatal Units across NZ.
• Bakers from across NZ donating treats to Neonatal and Special Care Baby Units nationwide.
• Purple ribbons distributed to parents and staff in each NICU.

Key stats:

• Every 90 minutes, a baby is born in New Zealand who will need neonatal or special care.
• Over 5,000 Kiwi families each year have a NICU or SCBU baby. Many babies will be in units far from home. Many will be hospitalised for weeks or months.
• Little Miracles Trust provides thousands of hours of cot-side peer support in neonatal units and emergency care packs to every family.
• They also provide access to resources, information, a family hardship support, and a network of free post-NICU/SCBU playgroups with a paediatric physiotherapist.
• Little Miracles Trust is the only charity in New Zealand dedicated exclusively to supporting families of premature and critically ill babies.
• The Trust receives no government funding and relies entirely on donations to raise the $500,000 needed annually to support families in NICU, the transition home and beyond.

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