REAL LIFE: Born prematurely at 26 weeks, Amy Brown weighed a little more than a loaf of bread
“We faced weeks of not knowing if she was going to make it or not."
Amy Brown burst into the world weighing a little more than a loaf of bread.
Born at just 26 weeks, she had to fight to survive. As the number of babies born prematurely rises it’s putting a strain on hospitals who rely heavily on donations to help provide lifesaving equipment in neonatal wards.
For women in regional areas of Australia the situation is even worse, with families forced to separate for months on end.
Running for Premature Babies founder Sophie Smith said the fact is, Neonatal Intensive Care Units (NICUS) and Special Care Nurseries (SCNs) around our country rely on fundraising for up to 70% of their equipment.
Amy’s mum Carole, who is a doctor, said had it not been for life-saving equipment donated to the NICU she has no doubt her baby would not have survived.
“Amy spent 98 days in the NICU and it was a very stressful time. But things got even worse after we were discharged with Amy developing a nasty infection,” Carole said.
“The normal ventilator wasn’t enough to keep Amy alive, and she would’ve died if we didn’t have access to the high-frequency-oscillatory-ventilator that had been donated by the team at Running for Premature Babies.
“We faced weeks of not knowing if she was going to make it or not. I can tell you, not getting to hold your baby for four weeks is pretty horrible.”
Amy Brown was born premmie at 26 weeks and without life-saving equipment, donated to the NICU, Amy’s mother says her daughter would not have survived.
Amy underwent a lifesaving heart operation and has since gone from strength to strength with no long term effects of being born prematurely. The bubbly 12-year-old is now preparing for high school next year, just like other girls her age.
Amy knows she owes her life to the generosity of others and wants to give back.
Amy is preparing to run a marathon over the month of November as part of the Premmie Babies Challenge in support of Running for Premature Babies.
Now 12, Amy is preparing to run a marathon as part of the Premmie Babies Challenge in support of Running for Premature Babies.
About Running for Premature Babies
Some 26,000 babies are born prematurely each year, with many facing an uphill battle from the moment they are born, suffering higher rates of respiratory, cardiovascular and neurological complications than babies born full term.
Running for Premature Babies has launched the Premmie Marathon Challenge – a virtual event throughout November to coincide with international ‘Prematurity Awareness Month’ to help raise much needed funds to provide cutting edge neonatal equipment to hospitals around Australia, and help give sick and premature babies a better chance of survival.
The Premmie Marathon challenge is free to sign up and can be done at your own pace.
Running for Premature Babies was founded by Sophie Smith and her late husband Ash after they lost their prematurely born triplets to complications after their premature births at 24 weeks, in 2006.
The charity has now raised more than $5 million for lifesaving neonatal equipment and research, and provided over 100 pieces of life-saving equipment for hospitals around Australia directly benefiting approximately 8000 babies so far.
