Media articles bringing awareness to Life’s Little Treasures Foundation services and events with personal stories from families who the foundation has supported.
2017
WHEN Zoee Hall (1) was born three months early, she was so small her father’s wedding band fitted on her arm. Parents Breigh and Daniel’s heartache at seeing their newborn daughter in intensive care and not being able to hold her has motivated them to join this month’s Walk for Prems in the Perth on October 29 along with other families across Australia. Read more of their story HERE
DECEPTION BAY family will pull on their walking shoes and take part in this year’s Walk For Prems fundraiser – a cause close to their hearts. Lisa Mitchell gave birth to her son Lucas, now seven, at 25 weeks and five days. Read more of her story HERE
Champion swimmer’s Brooke Hanson plans to dedicate her leg of the Commonwealth Games baton relay to her prematurely born son Jack who never got the chance to feel the sand between his toes. Mrs Hanson, who plans to have sons Cooper (8) and Billy (3) and daughter Mathilda (2) run the baton alongside her, is an ambassador for Life’s Little Treasures Foundation which supports families dealing with sick and premature babies. Read more of her story HERE
Jessica Harvey, her husband, son and friends are walking to raise money so that the foundation can continue to support families with premature babies. Jessica’s Lachlan was born at 31 weeks and 1.725kg. A year later, Jessica and her team will be walking 30am 29th of October at The Village Green, Barwon Park Road, St Peters. Read more of their story HERE
In a bid to help other parents with premature babies, Mrs Kerri-Anne Cali and Josh will take part in the Life’s Little Treasures Foundation’s Walk for Prems on Sunday, October 29. The walk raises money and awareness for the foundation, which provides support for parents of premature babies. They will be joined by three of Josh’s best friends and their mums.Read more of their story HERE
We’d like you to meet Cassie and Damien Jenkins, they are are wonderful Walk volunteer coordinators for the Townsville walk. The Jenkins triplets were born, Chase weighed only 920g, Isla 1kg and Demi,1.5kg. Their combined weight was far less than their four-year-old brother Cohen, who weighed in at over 4kg when he was born. Read more of their story HERE
Falcon mum Kira Campbell will be supporting a cause close to her heart when she participates in the 2017 Walk for Prems this October. For mums like Ms Campbell, whose daughter Annelise was born 11 weeks early, it’s a chance to raise awareness for those dealing with the struggles of a prematurely-born baby. Read more of their story HERE
2016
ABC Radio – Interview with LLTF Founders Shusannah Morris & Parool Shah, listen below:
Henry Grossek talks to Co-Founder & CEO Shusannah Morris on 97.7FM
Nationwide walk to seek awareness for babies born premature and sick
ARARAT’S Emma Hobson is set to take part in Australia’s largest national event on Sunday, October 23 to raise awareness for babies born premature and sick. Life’s Little Treasures Foundation’s Walk for Prems is in its seventh year and happens every October, bringing together those affected and those wanting to support the cause.
A parent of three children who were born prematurely, Ms Hobson told Life’s Little Treasures Foundation all three children were forced to spend time in hospital before going home, with her last child spending 57 days in care before it was deemed safe for her to be taken home. Australian retailer of baby goods for more than 30 years, Baby Bunting will present this year’s walk Read More….
Stacey’s walk for prems
Stacey Snow’s fight for her premature twins did not end when they left the hospital. Edie-Jayne and Tobias Snow were born about 15 weeks premature on February 4. Months were spent in a Sydney hospital with the twins fighting for their life and Mrs Snow, her husband Clint and their eldest son Corbin hoping for their recovery.
They were discharged and returned to Wagga in early May but this is not where their battle ends. The twins are now seven-and-a-half months old but their corrected age, which is measured from their actual due date, is four months. Their underdeveloped lungs mean they are vulnerable to the slightest infections. The twins just spent four days in hospital on oxygen with chest infections. “Because their lungs are still underdeveloped, it causes havoc,” Mrs Snow said. Read more…
2015
Six reasons to support Walk for Prems
Source: The Weekly Review – Melbourne’s Premier Magazine
1. Ella McKenzie, Northcote
Our middle child, Ella, was born in 2007 at 27 weeks and 979 grams. She came home at 110 days. It was traumatic as she wouldn’t put on weight and ended up having an NG (nasogastric) tube for six months. She is now a healthy, happy, energetic, delightful eight-year-old. Life’s Little Treasures provided a forum and the opportunity to ask for advice and has grown much bigger since we were involved. – Tamara and Ben McKenzie
Ella McKenzie. Photo: supplied
2. Claire Horton, Southbank
Claire was born in February this year. The weeks in the hospital were exhausting, daunting and very overwhelming, but the nurses and doctors were amazing with Claire and great with explaining things to us and getting involved. It was a whole new experience for us, being first-time parents and having Claire in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), but the Life’s Little Treasures app and book were so helpful for us. – Kate McKenzie and Ian Horton
3. Ella Jayde Leong, Lilydale
Before having Ella, we were oblivious to how difficult pregnancy, labour and delivery can be. It feels like it’s been such a long ride, but we wouldn’t change it for the world. –Bradley & Steffanie Leong
4. Aiden & Abigail Breukers, Essendon
Ashley wrote a blog during his wife’s bed rest and the newborn intensive and special care (NISC) experience, and Megan kept a public log of the kids’ journey on Facebook in the hope other parents would read it and find some support in it – as when they were going through it, all they wanted was to hear other stories and know they weren’t alone. – Ashley and Megan Breukers
5. Lily Barker, Parkville/Geelong
Born in 2012, Lily spent five and a half months in the hospital as a newborn. She is now almost three and has come along in leaps and bounds. She is a very determined, strong-willed little girl and is loved to bits. – Rebecca and Eldon Barker
6. Mark Yelland, Montmorency
Mark arrived this January – he’s now a perfectly healthy little boy, and his parents count their blessings. – Michael and Annmarie Yelland
Triple the thanks
Craigieburn couple Mark and Larissa Jordan were making daily trips to the Royal Women’s Hospital to see their premature newborn triplets. “When we were in hospital, we heard a lot of talk about the charity and how the nurses go on the walk each year to catch up with the families that they have helped,” Mrs Jordan said.
Read more Here
Walk for Prems: Little Treasure Lily a living testimony
Walk for Prems, support growing
Family of 8-week premature Nicholas Brennan prepare for Canberra’s Walk for Prems
Wool donation to warm treasures
THE wool industry came together this week to make a $14,000 heartfelt donation to Life’s Little Treasure Foundation – a national charity dedicated to helping families of sick and premature babies. The contribution was made on behalf of the Australian Sheep & Wool Show Fleece Competition and is the largest donation made in a single year in the history of the competition.
Exhibitors donated two-thirds of their fleece entries to the worthy cause. Read more HERE
Are we prioritising “precious” babies?
CEO and Co-Founder of the Foundation Shusannah Morris talks to Ellen Leabeater from 2SER (Sydney Educational Radio) about her experience with having a prem baby who was also an IVF baby
ListenHERE
Comp set to aid little treasures
This year LLTF has been chosen as the charity for this year’s Australian Fleece Competition – to be held at the Australian Sheep & Wool Show at Bendigo, 17th – 19th July 2015. All funds from donated fleeces will raise money for Life’s Little Treasures Foundation, founded in 2005 by parents, all of whom had sick babies. The charity helps hundreds of families in regional areas, including Ms Balfour-Glassey, who is from Ballarat. Read more HERE
Source: Stock & Land
Read about the Little Treasure behind the competition HERE
Canberra dad to run marathon for premature babies
When little Lilly Tunningley was born, she weighed 2.1 kilograms, was not much longer than a ruler, and her hand was so tiny it fitted inside her mum’s wedding ring.
Source: Canberra Times