Swapping scrubs for activewear

A passionate team of Waitakere Hospital's Special Care Baby Unit (SCBU) nurses will tackle the 2018 ASB Auckland Marathon to raise funds for premature babies who need urgent medical care. 

With the support from the Well Foundation, Waitakere SCBU neonatal nurse Suhani Chaudhary says they will be running, walking, crawling and laughing over the Harbour Bridge. “And hopefully we'll celebrating together at the end of the 12k transverse challenge. But let me reassure you that with every step of the way, we will be thinking of the tremendous journey our little premature babies tackle every day in our SCBUs.” 

Last year 669 premature and unwell term babies were cared for at the Waitakere and North Shore Hospitals.

Chaudhary, who has been a SCBU nurse for nearly seven years, has seen how important the SCBU is for premature babies and their families. 

“We take babies from 32 weeks of gestation, weighing 1500g and above. So a lot of our pre-term bubbas spend a good few weeks with us. We go through so much with the families as we get their babies off respiratory support, off IV fluids, off medications, learn how to feed, get them growing and gaining weight. There are good days and bad days, lots of tears of joys and some of sadness too. We become very invested.”

“They may be little, but they're fierce. They may have little feet, but they make big strides every day as will we during the marathon."

Your donation can help save young lives. If you’d like to support the SCBU team, visit:

https://aucklandmarathon2018.everydayhero.com/nz/run-for-prem-babies-1#

Every little bit counts.

Until next time, go well. 


Issue 92 October 2018