What is World Prematurity Day?
World Prematurity Day 2024 is just around the corner. For many preemie parents like me it’s the day we can look back on our NICU journey and say, “Thank God we made it”! But also, a chance to think about the other babies who are still in NICU and join to raise awareness regarding what happens when people are now faced with life with a preterm baby.
This year, World prematurity Day is being observed on Sunday 17th of November. It was established to help “raise awareness of challenges and burden of preterm birth globally”. Parents and families can now learn, and efforts then be made to prevent it and support families.
I had to do a bit of history and understand why a person or group of people would go through so much effort to make it official and it’s so inspiring. It started with a preemie mum like us – Silke Mader.
Silke was pregnant and expecting twins when at 25 weeks her babies were born early due to preeclampsia, unfortunately one of the babies did not make it but her other child is a healthy NICU graduate! The (European Foundation for Care of Newborn Infants) ECNI website tells us more about Silke’s story and the challenges she faced back in 1997 Germany which was there was not much awareness or resources available to help her through. So, on she went to join a local parent initiative and from there went on to co-find the EFCNI, and guess who else joined her on this amazing journey? Other NICU parents! and neonatal doctors.
You read about different charities and organization and sometimes wonder why do it? Its fair to say the “why” regarding this organization is the experience and personal life changing impact it had had on them. Silke, the preemie mum, the doctors who witness what the women and babies go through and family members of NICU babies and mothers, considering how miraculous and delicate the newest arrival to their clan is and this whole experience just moves you.
Up until this day I am moved by the doctors who helped me the day I gave birth. The care they gave me was something I cannot express with words. Unlike Silke, from the very get go once my doctor found out I had pre-eclampsia I was given a lot of information and care. I was informed about what to expect and honestly this better prepared me of what’s to come. Of course, the whole experience was different, I don’t think any amount of reading, or even hearing someone else’s story can hit hard as being in it yourself. But I’m so glad I was not in the dark about preterm birth.
Though I was curious why they would start up the ECNI, a part of me knew before even reading the history that someone who was affected by it HAD to have gone through this. Any preemie mum I have spoken to to-date has been moved from this life changing experience and they all want to help. That’s the thing I love about not just the day, but the whole month of November. We get to help others by sharing our story or just from being aware do a little bit more than we normally would for other families. Its so easy to forget, but one thing I do remember and this month doing a lot more of is not holding onto change.
You can have a little laugh but in McDonalds here in Ireland as you use the self-check-out counters they normally ask if you would like to “round-up” your meal price and the extra few cents go to charity, most times I’m in such a rush I just hit next without thinking twice, I just want fast food no extra questions. The charity these extra cents go to are the Ronald McDonald house in Dublin. November reminds me that these few cents are adding up to something so much bigger, the money they collect are helping other families going through many different scenarios.
Though I live in Kilkenny city, my baby had to be born in Dublin because the lack of NICU facilities. I was rushed to the National Maternity Hospital (Holles Street) in Dublin and was given the best care for my own recovery but also for my amazing son who would have the best start in life been though the situation was not ideal.
How does this link to World Prematurity Day? raising awareness? Or even Ronald McDonald House?
My son was born during the pandemic in 2020 when travel was restricted, but when I was discharged, we had nowhere to live in Dublin and Kilkenny is over an 1hour30mins commute. The hospital tried their best to recommend nearby hotels and other charities that could possibly house us, the Ronald McDonald House being one. Before we could start worrying about that I had a meeting with the medical social worker, and she got us housed at a place called Hugh house (another charity for children) which was about a 30-minute commute to the hospital to see our little guy every day. The commute to Ronald McDonald house would have been an hour each way, and since the NICU unit has designated visit times for the baby, it would have been an absolute nightmare commuting 2-3 times a day in my condition. I struggled a lot with the commute to Hugh House, but this would have been an even bigger struggle to Ronald McDonald House, even though we did not get housed there I am so thankful that such places exist for families at this time.
If people are aware, then action can be taken to not only assist others who find themselves in this situation but also educate and know what life will look like in a positive light. World prematurity day is the day we can make this happen and make that burden a little less of a struggle by letting others know “its going to be okay” and they are not alone.
References:
https://www.smahcp.ie/practical-support/preterm/world-prematurity-day#:~:text=It%20is%20one%20of%20the,partnering%20European%20parent%20organisations1.
https://www.hughshouse.ie/
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