Saturday 17^th November 2012 is World Prematurity Day and the National Premmie Foundation is once again participating in the international campaign to raise awareness of preterm birth. Each year Worldwide 13 million babies are born too soon. Approximately 23,000 of these babies are born in Australia.  We want everyone to honour the 15 million babies who struggled to survive this year and over 1 million babies who sadly lost their fight for life.

The rate of preterm birth is increasing and yet the general public knows little about the prevention of preterm birth and the problems and risks involved in the development of a preterm infant. Preterm or premature birth, birth before 37 weeks gestation is the second leading cause of newborn death globally. Babies who survive an early birth often face the increased risk of health challenges such as breathing problems, cerebral palsy, intellectual disabilities and many other hurdles. For many families, preterm birth brings with it neonatal or infant loss. So we want you to join the campaign to raise awareness of the issues these vulnerable newborns and their families face.

The National Premmie Foundation is a founding member of the World Prematurity Network. This means we have joined together with March of Dimes (USA), The European Foundation for the Care of Newborn Infants (Europe), LittleBigSoul (Africa), Bliss (UK) and Home for Premature Infants (China) to raise awareness and change the lives of babies born too soon everywhere. For more information on the World Prematurity Network and the need for a World Prematurity Day Read Here

How you can get involved

We are asking people throughout Australia to get behind World Prematurity Day.

In 2011, the Empire State Building was lit up purple and it will do so again in 2012 with other buildings from around the world. This year in Australia, the Questacon building in Canberra, is lighting up purple. You can be a part of our light it up purple campaign in Australia by purchasing a National Premmie Foundation candle and lighting it at 7pm in your own home.

To participate

• Visit and become a fan of our Facebook page

• Change your profile picture on Facebook ( images are available here)

• Purchase your very own candle for our Light it up purple campaign via our online store

• Visit our Facebook event page and click Join add address

• Join the official World Prematurity Day Facebook page and add your story

• Light your candle on the 17^th November 2012 @ 7pm; take a photo of you and your family with the candle and post it on the NPF Facebook event page and the Official World Prematurity Facebook page.

• Make a donation online so that the National Premmie Foundation can continue its important work or simply in honour of someone whose life has been touched by a preterm birth.

Spread the word

We invite everyone to help spread the word about the 17^th November 2012. You can update your Facebook profile image and even your cover photo, place a WPD banner on your website or blog (linking to our website), share the link to our online store so your family and friends can purchase a candle and join in celebrating the day.

International superstar Celine Dion is lending her support to World Prematurity Day.

Click here to see her video.

In 2008, the idea came about to raise awareness of the serious issues that these babies and their families face and since then the day has gained more and more support and each year has gone from strength to strength.

In 2009, the National Premmie Foundation joined forces with international groups, March of Dimes (USA), LittleBigSouls (Africa) and EFCNI (Europe) to raise awareness of the serious issues that these babies and their families face.

In 2010, the Foundation officially celebrated its first World Prematurity Day in Australia after moving our annual National Premmie Day celebrations from July to November in recognition of the world joining forces to make a difference.

In 2011 and 2012, further international groups, Bliss (UK) and Home for Premature Babies (China), joined the World Prematurity Network. Unified together, we can make a difference and raise the voice of prematurity in the public domain.

2012 has been an important year for the World Prematurity Network with the release of the “Born Too Soon” The Global Action Report on Preterm Birth. This Report features the first ever estimates of preterm birth rates by country and forms part of the United Nations Global Strategy for Women’s and Children’s Health.

The “Born Too Soon” report is available to download in PDF format.

Click on the image below.

Our banners are available below in different sizes.

Please right click the image and “save as”. Attach the banner to your your web site to help promote the event and remember to link the banner to (http://www.prembaby.org.au)

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Leaderboard

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www.ygoh.org.au

Yasminah’s Gift Of Hope offers Hope, Light, Love and Happiness to families who experience the miscarriage, premature birth, neonatal loss, stillbirth or infant loss of their child or diagnosis of a congenital abnormality during pregnancy with early ongoing support, understanding and a Gift Of Hope.

Yasminah’s Gift Of Hope Journals are a very special keepsake that allows families to keep ultrasound images, photos, cot cards, arm bands, and foot and hand prints as a cherished keepsake of a precious life. Each journal contains a special page that the family can fill in about details of their child like name, date of birth, place of birth and details of the funeral or memorial service if their child has passed away. We encourage families to write about their journey. The family may like to keep it is a diary during their pregnancy after being told their child has a congenital abnormality, a journey through the roller coaster ride of a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit when their child is born premature, or life after the loss of their child. Some other uses are to write about the birth of their child, write poems about how they are feeling, write a letter to their child and keep any cards or messages received from family or friends.

Most importantly families can write down details and memories about their child to treasure forever. A Gift Of Hope.

Yasminah’s Gift Of Hope Incorporated provided our first Gift Of Hope on the 26th May 2010, exactly 1 year and 2 months after Yasminah was born sleeping. Yasminah’s Gift Of Hope became a registered non-profit charity endorsed by the Australian Tax Office as a deductible gift recipient on the 13th July 2010. We are comprised of volunteers who have personally experienced the loss of a child, diagnosis of a congenital abnormality or the premature birth of their child, who are dedicated and passionate about providing support and understanding to families during a very difficult time.

Rebecca and Erin have both personally experienced the diagnosis of a congenital abnormality during pregnancy, premature birth and loss of their own children, and want you to know that you are not alone. Yasminah’s Gift Of Hope wish to bring families support, understanding and hope.

Join their Facebook page.

Food and drinks will be served and there will be guest speakers throughout the evening.

We look forward to meeting you on the night.

If you would like to make a payment via bank deposit please fill in the following online form. Once submitted, the Foundation’s bank details will be emailed to you for deposit.

For credit card purchase please click below and make a payment through paypal.

$40.00 per ticket.

We look forward to celebrating with you.
National Premmie Foundation Committee

The National Premmie Foundation (NPF) is the peak body in Australia for charitable organisations that operate to provide support to families who experience premature birth or neonatal loss. With member groups across Australia the NPF is the largest organisation in Australia representing the interests of families of preterm infants.

What does the National Premmie Foundation do?

• Act as a parent body guiding and assisting prem support and bereavement groups to achieve their objectives

• Represent the interests of parents of prems in terms of hospital policy, health policy, funding and standards of care

• Raise the profile and awareness of the plight of NICU/SCN infants and their families and the issues surrounding their care and long term development

• Work as part of an International Alliance to reduce the incidence of preterm birth

• Co-ordinate World Prematurity Awareness Month and World Prematurity Day (which occurs in November each year) activities throughout Australia

The member groups

The founding groups include Preterm Infant’s Parents Association (PIPA) & Loddon Mallee Kids. The other member groups are L’il Aussie Prems & Yasminah’s Gift of Hope.

We joined forces in 2007 and have a combined total of over 50 years experience in supporting families who experience premature birth or neonatal loss.

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