Today I delivered 18 little "Blankets of Love" to the John Hunter Children's Hospital here in Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia.
I spoke to Maree again, the supervisor of the NeoNatal Unit, and was told that the unit had over 1100 babies pass through it in 2011 with only 3 fatalities. ANY number is never a good number but considering the total number of babies treated... that's pretty good. Of course these blankets also go out to the families of little stillborns in the unit next door. I didn't get a number this year but last year the whole floor needed 19 but numbers were down from that Maree said.
Some blankets even go home with live babies too (isn't that a wonderful idea as well) when a little one has stayed a long and worrying period under neo-natal care. Maree said that it gave comfort to the mothers of any long term patients by having something personal (made from LoVe) that belonged to their child alone, she felt.
Just one other way of offering a helping hand that I hadn't thought of.
In any capacity that these blankets are used... I'm just happy to be making a difference.
Thanks MUST go out to my many angels in 2011. Without the generosity of these lovely ladies... Joyce, O'Faigh, Maria, Shez and Sue B ... I would struggle under the weight of supplying the number of blankets needed.
Thanks 2011 ANGeLs....
If you would like to become an AnGeL too... please just email me.
Then you'll be able to add this cute button to YOUR blog to let everyone know just how SpEciAl you are!