MEDIA RELEASE
25th June 2013
Dad’s Bid to Thank Hospital That Saved His Daughter.
Saoirse McCormick weighed a tiny 589 grams, less than an iPad, when she arrived into the world – and her dedicated dad, Conor, has embarked on a fundraising and awareness mission for the hospital that saved her life.
Conor’s wife, Moira Keane, gave birth when she was just 24 weeks and two days into the pregnancy and little Saoirse spent four months in the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital’s Neonatal Intensive Care Unit in Sydney. Conor, originally from Crossgar, Co Down and a current Balmain resident, is hoping to raise $50,000 with a golf day and gala dinner in August and the money will go towards funding a specialist ultrasound machine for neonatal care.
“Saoirse spent four months in hospital waiting to get strong and that time was very precarious,” he said. “The reason I’m organising this fundraiser is because 50 per cent of what the hospital gets comes from fundraisers. It cost between half to $1 million to treat our daughter from the moment she went into the hospital. That is the motivation behind it. Royal Prince Alfred is one of the best hospitals in the southern hemisphere for neonatal care. More babies are born and are surviving because of the amazing work they do.” Conor adds, “The support I have received from the local community thus far has been truly amazing.”
Saoirse’s early arrival followed heartache for the couple as they suffered several miscarriages. Saoirse was born just days from the cut-off point where doctors do not intervene. She battled through several complications associated with premature babies, including pneumonia, a perforated bowel and a viral infection, and she also had laser eye surgery. There were several times throughout her NICU journey when doctors feared she wouldn’t make it but she pulled through and is now a healthy one-year-old.
“Saoirse is now fantastic and full of life. I think it was her tenaciousness that got her through. She is a fighter. She is doing everything a baby should do and more. She’s climbing up on the sofa and is pretty close to walking. She has a fantastic personality,” Connor adds.
Narelle Vakalaros of Little Wonder knows all too well the trauma experienced by having a baby in intensive care. Her son, Nicholas, experienced major complications at birth and spent almost a month in RPA’s Newborn Care. Narelle has spent the last several years being a part of Little Wonder, a group of inner west parents whose babies spent time in the neonatal intensive care unit at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital. Since inception in 2009, Little Wonder has raised over $60,000 and purchased life saving equipment for the neonatal unit, in addition to renovating an expressing room within the hospital’s nursery. The group also ensures that the parents of babies receive support through gifts, a play group, and an online community.
“This golf day and dinner is a wonderful way to say thank-you to the unit that saved our children and to acknowledge the support that the RPA Newborn Care’s staff provided to us, as parents, during what was the most distressing and difficult period my family has experienced. Realising the sudden fragility of my newborn son’s life, the cost, the equipment and the number hospital staff dedicated to saving him I will be so eternally grateful for the treatment he received at RPA”, says Narelle. “Meeting and helping other NICU families has provided enormous support to my own family in coping with life as a “NICU” parent and Little Wonder is so pleased to be able to assist Conor in his efforts for this event, his passion and commitment is very inspiring.”
The golf day is taking place at Bonnie Doon Golf Club in Sydney on August 15 and teams of four can take part for $1100, which includes a gala dinner in the evening. Conor still has opportunities for players and sponsors for this event, with levels of sponsorship ranging from $2000 to $5000.
For more details, contact Conor by email at or visit the Little Wonder website www.littlewonder.org.au
Event details:
Thursday 15th August 2013
11:30am – Registration & Lunch
6:30pm – Gala Dinner & Entertainment
Bonnie Doon Golf Course, Banks Avenue, Pagewood
Website Details: www.littlewonder.org.au
Facebook Details: www.facebook.com/LittleWonderRPA
MEDIA CONTACT: Narelle Vakalaros MOBILE: 0416 213 836 EMAIL: