The Border and wider community is being urged to help Wodonga’s Special Care Nursery win an online poll that would see much-needed equipment donated to the unit that cares for the region’s premature babies.
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The Wodonga nursery was running a very close second to La Trobe Hospital at Traralgon on Thursday afternoon with voting in the poll to close on Saturday, January 14 at 11.59pm (AEST).
More than 1000 people have shown their support for the Wodonga facility, which is up against 64 other special care nurseries across Australia, and social media is continuing to drum up support for the Level 4 nursery that last year cared for 414 premature babies from 32 weeks of age.
Kathy O’Brien, nurse unit manager at Wodonga’s maternity ward, said it was heart-warming to see the number of people who had already voted for Wodonga in the poll.
“To win would be exciting because it would be wonderful recognition of our staff by the community,” Ms O’Brien said.
“We are touched by the number of votes we have already received.”
Ms O’Brien said one of the strengths of the Wodonga nursery was that it offered a high level of personal care to parents and babies as well as staff with an excellent level of knowledge and skills.
That support extends to the follow-up services available to families through domiciliary care, the parents and babies unit, and breastfeeding support services.
Clinical nurse specialist Raylene Hare has worked in the special care nursery for the past 30 years and never tires of seeing the smiles on parents’ faces as they head home with their babies.
“There is a great deal of love and hard work put in by staff and parents to get a premature baby home,” she said.
“They can spend up to three months in the nursery so you really do form a bond during that time.”
The L’il Aussie Prems Foundation will host a Wear Green for Premmies event on April 5 with proceeds funding equipment for the winning Special Care Nursery and winner of the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit poll.
Ms O’Brien said the poll coincided with the annual Hume Bank City2City Walk on February 19, which raises money for Albury-Wodonga Health.
This year proceeds from the popular walk/run will help refurbish sections of the maternity ward and special care nursery.
“We are looking to create a separate high-dependency and stabilisation area, offering greater privacy, for very sick babies,” Ms O’Brien explained.
To vote for Wodonga go to www.lilaussieprems.com.au/vote-a-hospital-green-for-premmies-2017/ and scroll to the Special Care Nursery poll.
