I’m Tahlia Guzzardi, and I was born extremely prematurely at only 27 weeks and four days gestation, weighing only 1,000 grams. When my mum was pregnant with me she suffered from a pregnancy-related condition known as HELLP preeclampsia, which can cause potentially fatal harm to both mothers and their unborn babies.

I spent my first 100 days of life in hospital, being transferred between different levels of care depending on my progress, including a humidity tunnel, an isolette, an oxygen breathing machine, and a CPAP machine which were all located within Monash Hospital’s Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). I also had use of a low flow oxygen cannula within Dandenong Hospital’s Special Care Nursery (SCN).

I was discharged from hospital on the Friday before Mother’s Day, which was my 100^th day in hospital. After this, my mum and I had to do daily home physio until I walked. I also had an intolerance to cow’s milk.

Myself and my family were lucky enough to have amazing doctors and nurses when I was in hospital, which made it easier for everyone to get through that difficult time of our lives, but not all families have the same experience. Many families of premature and sick babies do not have access to critical information about the services that they, or the baby, may require or benefit from, and this can negatively affect everyone involved.

My St Catherine’s School Dark Blue Leadership Diploma Initiative is to raise funds and awareness for Life’s Little Treasures, an organisation that provides information, emotional support services, emergency financial support and family social activities for the families of premature and sick babies. Often, specialist care and equipment during the usually lengthy hospital stays are likely to be required to treat critical issues within their first few months of life for these premature and sick babies.

Especially now, amongst all the restrictions and lockdowns all over Australia, it is even harder for families of premature and sick babies because these restrictions are preventing extended family members from seeing the hospitalised babies, which calls for even more support services, both in physical formats when possible and also online.

Therefore, on Wednesday 25 August, all Senior School staff and students at St Catherine’s School are encouraged to wear orange accessories to support and spread awareness about Life’s Little Treasures and learn about the important work they do. I will also be running a mass aerial drone photography shoot, in which all participants will arrange ourselves into the shape of a foot, which is the logo of Life’s Little Treasures, so that we can take an amazing aerial photo of everyone standing on the field, in the shape of the Life’s Little Treasures foot, wearing their orange accessories.

Donations are vital in allowing Life’s Little Treasures to be able to provide all their information and services to those who need them, so I encourage all members of the wider community to donate, no matter how much, to give premature and sick babies the best possible start to their lives, and to support their families throughout and beyond those difficult first few months. Donations will be accepted until Friday 29 October, via this link.

Thanks for your support!