Please read this wonderful document created by the NICU Family Advocates at the Preemie Parent Alliance.

See our Prematurity Snapshot for each of these countries:

Learn what Preemie Parent Advocates are doing around the world. 

Mandy Daly  Irish Neonatal Health Alliance

Mandy is a member of the Executive Council of the Irish Neonatal Health Alliance. She is also a parent of a preterm infant born in 2006 soon after Mandy went into preterm labour on an airplane flight. She then drove 200 miles to a tertiary unit where she gave birth to her daughter who spent 80 days in the Neonatal intensive Care Unit (NICU).

"You have the right to be your infants parent regardless of the location. You are his/her voice and you deserve to be supported in your parenting role such that you will be competent and confident in your parenting ability at discharge. It is imperative the HCPS and support organisations work to meet this goal if we are to see preterm infants meet their full potential."

www.inha.ie

Released November 1^st

Habi Bah  Little Survivor of the Gambia

Habi Bah is a mother, a student, and an activist. She is an advocate for children, youth, young women, premature babies, and infants with pediatric congenital heart conditions.

The NICU in Ghana where she had given birth to her twin sons was a normal room with more than 50 premature babies and there was less than the required incubators needed for the preemies to use.

Her surviving son battled a complex case of a hole in his heart and won. He is now 4 years old.

"Always practice kangaroo mother care; it is the key to your child's survival."

www.facebook.com/chatbah 

re;eased November 8^th

Simone Rosito  Instituto Pequenos Grandes Guerreiros

Simone is the president and founder of Sao Paulo-based Instituto PGG. She is the auntie of premature twins born at 32 weeks.

In Brazil, main challenge is deficit in NICU beds. You are lucky if you actually get a place in the NICU. Generally, there is very little support for families during a long stay in the NICU. 

So we offers free, specialised, nation-wide psychological assistance to families of babies affected by Necrotizing Enterocolitis (NEC), so that they are better equipped to deal with the challenges of having a sick baby.

"You are not alone."

pequenosgrandesguerreiros.org/en

Fabiana Bacchini   Canadian Premature Babies Foundation

When Fabiana’s second child was born at just 26 weeks gestational, her life was forever changed.

Being part of the Family Integrated Care program led her to the extensive volunteering in the NICU at Mount Sinai Hospital in Toronto. She is an ambassador of Family Integrated Care, also known as FICare.

Fabiana is also on the board of directors at the Canadian Premature Babies Foundation. She is a journalist and the published author of From Surviving to Thriving, a Mother’s Journey Through Infertility, Loss and Miracles.

"Your involvement in the care of your baby is important. You are not alone."

cpbf-fbpc.org

Préma-Québec

released November 22^nd 

Kylie Pussell   Miracle Babies Foundation

Kylie is a NICU Parent Advocate, Mum to 3 surviving miracle babies, and CEO of Miracle Babies Foundation and Counsellor.

She never imagined the struggles she would have to endure to have her family.

"Australian hospitals are currently experiencing several new builds of our NICU's. Our voice is raising awareness to make sure the new builds are designed for Family Integrated Care and more parental inclusion/needs. We are lobbying for national access for all babies to receive mother's own breast milk and improved education and support in hospitals for mother's and all babies to have access to donor breast milk."

"Reach out and access support, having a baby born preterm or critically ill can be very traumatic and life changing."

www.miraclebabies.org.au

released November 29^th