Every year, the dedicated Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) team at Royal North Shore Hospital cares for around 750 of the most vulnerable newborn babies, with up to 31 infants in care at any one time during the busy December and January months.
While many are celebrating Christmas with family and friends, patient care and medical research across the Northern Sydney Local Health District (NSLHD) continues every day of the year – even during the festive season.
This dedication is felt most deeply in the NICU at RNSH, where fragile and critically ill newborns receive care. For mum Melissa, Christmas time will always remind her of the care that saved her daughter, Mariah, who was born 13 weeks premature.
“Mariah weighed just 1.2 kilograms – less than half the average weight of a newborn – and needed specialist care and respiratory support,” Melissa said. “It was terrifying, but the NICU team were a pillar of support, especially during those first overwhelming hours.”
The NORTH Foundation is currently running a Christmas Appeal, to help fund advanced equipment, support programs and innovative medical research that make a difference to families like Melissa’s.
“When Mariah finally came home after five weeks in the NICU, we knew she’d been given the best start to life,” Melissa said. “This Christmas, my home will be filled with joy, laughter and the sound of Mariah’s giggles. The NICU team saved Mariah’s life, and I will be forever grateful for everyone that looked after her – they’re the reason we get to celebrate Christmas with her every year.”
To donate to the NORTH Foundation’s Christmas Appeal, visit: northfoundation.org.au/christmas-appeal/