National Babies Day Launch - Parliament House

Yesterday, Ralph and I had the fortune of attending the launch of The Bonnie Babes Foundation 'National Babies Day' at Parliament House, Canberra.

The launch attracted many politicians and dignitaries, as well as many members of society who have been touched by what the Bonnie Babes support through communication and research - people who have experienced difficulties with miscarriage, still birth and premature babies.

Few people realise that 1 in 4 pregancies are impacted this way - 70,000 per year in Australia.

The launch of National Babies Day was also the parliamentary launch of 'Small Miracles' a publication created by Rachel Stanfield-Porter (founder of The Bonnie Babes Foundation internationally) with the support of many contributors. You can find 'Small Miracles' in bookstores nationally.

 

As explained by 'The Australian'...

ONE of the more painful chapters in the lives of Malcolm and Lucy Turnbull, the miscarriage of two children, was played out in private more than 20 years ago.

Yesterday, their story became part of a more public retelling of the effects of losing a child, as a contribution to a new book raising money for families confronted with stillbirth, miscarriage and premature birth.

Mr Turnbull helped launch Small Miracles, written by the Bonnie Babes Foundation founder Rachel Stanfield-Porter, at Parliament House in Canberra yesterday, on the same day he celebrated his first year as Opposition Leader.

He did so in the company of Lucy, who has contributed to the book, and his daughter, Daisy, who was born prematurely.

The Opposition Leader The Hon Malcolm Turnbull was there to discuss impact on his family and help with the launch of 'Small Miracles'... for the full article...

View The Australians editorial here: http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,26084937-5013404,00.html

You can also view Malcolm Turnbull's speech summarised here: http://www.liberal.org.au/news.php?Id=3814 

Probably, many of you are not aware of Malcolm's family experience.

It was also the 1 year anniversary of Mr Turnbull's celebration of the leader of the opposition - a great time to celebrate National Babies Day and the birth of 'Small Miracles'.

Bonnie Babes look forward to making National Babies Day popular as Mothers and Fathers Day - a celebration of life which often begins very early on this planet thanks to the technology we now have available. National Babies Day is also a remembrance of those who left early, without the opportunity to grow with their families and an opportunity for families to discuss their feelings - in their own way.

Additional information...

Malcolm Turnbull proudly sponsors the research project below...

Retinopathy of Prematurity: ‘Ray of Hope’

Retinopathy is the major cause of blindness in premature infants all over the world.  Globally there are 1.4 million children who are born blind.  The growing need to prevent the pathogenesis of Retinopathy of Prematurity has become ever more prevalent as research efforts are directed toward preventing further escalation of the disease to ensure the preterm infant will have a high quality of life with the gift of sight.  It is the hope that by understanding the very early stages of Retinopathy of Prematurity we can improve the changes of developing new forms of treatment that target the earliest microvascular changes rather than waiting until the retina is invaded by numerous pathological, leaky new vessels as currently therapy dictates.

Chief Investigator: Prof Tailoi Chan-Ling
University of Sydney

Information Technology person needed

Bonnie Babes need an internet computer wiz.  The Bonnie Babes Foundation needs a company or individual to donate their time to help with their website and internet needs to get the Bonnie Babes Foundation across the internet.

They have specific needs that can be discussed.  Its not an extensive amount of time but it’s a huge support to our charity.  Sadly over 70,000 babies pass away every year, the Bonnie Babes Foundation is a non government funded charity striving to save babies lives.  To register your support call Debbie on 1300 266 643 or enquiry@bbf.org.au.

‘Small Miracles’

The Bonnie Babes Foundation has just released its new book ‘Small Miracles'.  The book has been published by one of Australia's top publishers Hachette Australia who publish everything from Enid Blyton to Stephen King and many well known titles in between.  The book is now available in Target, Kmart, Myer, Big W, Dymocks, Angus & Robertson, Borders, Collins, 180 independent book sellers and specialty stores.

The book is raising funds for the Bonnie Babes Foundation which helps over 17,000 families every year.  The Bonnie Babes Foundation provides 24 hour, 7 day per week grief counselling services and funds vital medical research into infertility issues, miscarriage, stillbirth, neonatal loss  and the charity raises much needed funds for vital equipment for premmie babies. 

The book is written by the Founder of the Bonnie Babes Foundation, Rachel Stanfield-Porter who lost her own two babies and now has two healthy sons.  The book is a compilation of inspiring Australian stories of hope, survival and coping after the loss of a baby from miscarriage, stillbirth and prematurity. It is a book about celebrities and high profile personalities including Australian Women’s Weekly’s Deborah Thomas, footballer Robert Harvey, Dr Cindy Pan, radio personality Dee Dee, actor Rebecca Gibney, actor Tony Bonner and many others who talk about their losses in a very candid way.

This is the first time a book like this has been released into mainstream bookstores and department stores.

To contact the Bonnie Babes Foundation call 1300 266 643 or enquiry@bbf.org.au or www.bbf.org.au.

Corporate Social Responsibility - A Case Study - Bonnie Babes Foundation

As businesses, corporates and organisations learn more about the benefits of Corporate Social Responsibility, The Bonnie Babes Foundation provides one example of how corporates and charities can work together.

Rachel Stanfield-Porter founded the Bonnie Babes Foundation in 1994. They are a national charity with branches in each state.

The Bonnie Babes Foundation exists to
• provide medical equipment to hospitals for premature babies struggling for life in
intensive care,
• assist vital medical research projects into pregnancy loss and complications to women’s
health during and following pregnancy,
• provide education and training for health professionals,
• provide 24 hour, 7 day per week free family crisis phone lines for those who have lost a
baby through miscarriage, stillbirth or premature birth,
• provide health nutrition and wellness advice for women prior to and during pregnancy,
• provide support for families with infertility issues and assists with counselling relating
to infertility,
• provide support for babies born with abnormalities,
• support women who develop pre-eclampsia and other medical conditions during
pregnancy, and
• provide extensive public awareness and education about pregnancy loss infertility issues
and prematurely born babies.

 

Compare these statistics:
Australian road fatalities = 1,400 pa
Babies lost through stillbirth each year = 2000 pa

Total of all cancer deaths = 36,000 pa
Total of all deaths due to miscarriage and stillbirth = over 70,000 pa

$215 million spent on breast cancer research in 2000. The number of women diagnosed with breast cancer in Australia was 12,126 in 2004
The Bonnie Babes Foundation counsels and supports 17,000 families each year.
Sudden Infant Deaths = 71 in 2007
1 in 10 babies are born prematurely (approx. 17,500 each year)

 

National Babies Day:

Saturday 19 September 2009 is National Babies Day, the major annual fundraising event for the Bonnie Babes Foundation (a non-profit charity organisation).

National Babies Day raises much needed funds to help decrease the loss of children every year in
Australia and provide a better quality of life for babies born prematurely struggling for survival
in intensive care.

A wide range of events are held across Australia during September to raise funds for the Bonnie
Babes Foundation.

Just like Mother’s Day or Fathers Day, National Babies Day offers an opportunity to celebrate the lives of healthy Australian babies while remembering those that have left us too soon.

Visit www.bbf.org.au to make a tax-deductible donation online or purchase the beautiful Little Feet Pin in Gold or Pewter for just $5 + P&H

Shop at Target on 19 September when 5% of proceeds from all kids wear purchases will be donated to the Bonnie Babes Foundation.

Or, get those odd jobs around the house completed by Hire-a-Hubby in the week leading up the National Babies Day, and Hire-a-Hubby will donate $30 to support the Bonnie Babes Foundation.

Baby Kingdom are donating a percentage of all sales in September leading up to National Babies Day.

There are many other ways you and your organisation can engage with the Bonnie Babes Foundation, including 'in-kind support'

Here are three of the medical projects they are currently looking for investors to support:

The following projects have just been rated the highest from the medical board they are three projects we would really like to support.  They are exceptionally worthy.

1.    DNA damage and recurrent pregnancy loss.  Funds requested $20,000

Recurrent miscarriage affects approximately 1% of couples during their reproductive lives, and the recurrent miscarriage rate is approximately 3-5%. [1] At present recurrent miscarriage and infertility are of increasing concern in most developed countries. [2] one of the major problems facing clinicians working with patients suffering recurrent miscarriages is that there is seldom a single obvious cause identified.  In recent years, increasing efforts have been made to describe causes of recurrent miscarriage at the molecular level.  DNA damage in the gametes (sperm and egg) can lead to developmental defects and pregnancy loss.  In human cells, normal metabolic activities and environmental factors such as smoking and poor diet can cause DNA damage.  Any cell that has accumulated a large amount of DNA damage cannot function.  Although it has long been acknowledged that both male and female partners contribute to human reproductive success, the past 20 years have focussed on the importance of DNA damage in the male and successful pregnancy.  There is substantial literature relating DNA damage in sperm with infertility and pregnancy loss, but very little research has examined this in the mother.  It is not known if DNA damage in both the mother and father could be used to diagnose couples at risk of recurrent miscarriages.  Therefore, this study aims to determine if increased DNA damage in both the mother’s and father’s blood is associated with recurrent miscarriages.  If this is the case, larger studies will be undertaken, investigating the use of DNA damage markers as a predictive tool for couples who are at risk of recurrent miscarriages.  This would allow possible interventions to reduce DNA damage before trying to conceive, or depending on age and additional risk factors, allow for immediate referral for assisted reproduction techniques.

2.    Longterm follow up bereaved.  Funds requested $21,000

Each week in Australia around 40 families experience the death of a baby due to stillbirth or neonatal death.  Such losses can be highly traumatic for families and research consistently shows the potential for patients to experience extreme psychological distress.  Some studies have shown that distress may continue for at least several years, but little is known about the longer-term impacts.  This project offers a rare opportunity to follow up a cohort of 144 parents (both mothers and fathers) who experienced the death of an infants some 20 years ago to assess their psychological, social and physical health.  By re-contacting these families 21-23 years after their loss, the study is uniquely paced to enhance knowledge and understanding of the long-term psychosocial and health impacts of pregnancy loss and the range of factors – including those relating to the period soon after the loss – that predict different outcomes.  Such information has the potential to aid the development and provision of effective, appropriate and responsive support services for bereaved families.

3.    Retinopathy of Prematurity: ‘Ray of Hope’ Funds requested $25,000

Retinopathy is the major cause of blindness in premature infants all over the world.  Globally there are 1.4 million children who are born blind.  The growing need to prevent the pathogenesis of Retinopathy of Prematurity has become ever more prevalent as research efforts are directed toward preventing further escalation of the disease to ensure the preterm infant will have a high quality of life with the gift of sight.  It is the hope that by understanding the very early stages of Retinopathy of Prematurity we can improve the changes of developing new forms of treatment that target the earliest microvascular changes rather than waiting until the retina is invaded by numerous pathological, leaky new vessels as currently therapy dictates.
 

To learn more, please contact Debbie Chalmers:

Phone: (03) 9803 1800

Toll Free 1300 266 643

Email: enquiry@bbf.org.au