Running for Premature Babies

In loving memory of baby Bella

Today marks the first anniversary of the due date of our beautiful baby girl, Isabella Milia. In memory of our cheeky monkey who we miss more than we knew possible, we would love to invite you to join us in supporting a cause that is very close to our hearts.

If Bella had been born on or near to her due date then the outcomes for her would likely have been far more manageable and predictable. Instead, Bella was born at just 27 weeks which gave her a rocky start to say the least, and added to this she also battled a variety of complications.

We were some of the lucky ones. Not everyone, everywhere, has access to the sorts of facilities, specialty equipment or specialist medical staff that were there for her. Nonetheless, we still experienced a relentless daily anxiety over whether particular life saving or life changing equipment for our baby girl would either become or remain available, and whether we would find any answers or solutions to the variety of things that were going on for her.

Babies born so early rely on years of research, the expertise of the medical specialists, highly skilled nursing staff and the state of the art medical equipment and procedures found in the Neonatal Intensive Care Units (NICUs) that are located within some of our major hospitals around the country. Bella spent her first few months in the NICU environment and it was while she was there we realised how great the need is for ongoing community funding to ensure there is enough specialised equipment that every baby born early might have the same chance at life that was gifted to our Bella. We can no longer count on our hands and feet how many touch and go moments there were for our precious little girl but she made it through those first few months with the support of the NICU.

Our time in the NICU with Bella has allowed us plenty of time to reflect on how things could be enhanced to make this very tough journey easier for other miracle babies and their carers. We can remember putting out the call to Bella’s grandma to try and whip up some covers tailored to the crib Bella was in because the NICU was short and instead using normal blankets that exposed the premature infant to potentially damaging lights. We recall the anguish every time the crib was coming up for maintenance as Bella might have been placed in an older crib that didn’t meet her needs as well or was more difficult for us to access to do something as simple as a nappy change or wipe her face. We remember well the shortage of fridge and freezer space for the storage of precious breastmilk as it was very difficult for us to transport it back to our home. We recall the constant musical chairs, hoping to land one of the few comfy ones every time there was a chance to hold or feed Bella.

Much of the enormously expensive equipment helping Bella to breathe, to monitor her vital signs and to keep her warm, were actually donated by generous individuals or community groups or fundraisers just like this. We were always grateful as we read the donor plaques on the myriad of high tech equipment that Bella relied on for her survival and our thoughts turned to those kind and generous souls who went before us in the fundraising effort to make this world a better place for our daughter.

We now know that every baby whose destiny it is to journey through the NICU as their introduction to life will have a fistful of challenges in front of them. These challenges can become monumental and often heart wrenching for their families. Continuing and contributing to the fundraising work that has been so successful in sending many babies home to their families will help to increase the chance for future good outcomes for each of these little ones and to relieve the anguish of their carers. This fundraising is important to support research, supply NICUs with lifesaving neonatal equipment and to raise awareness of premature birth and to celebrate all premature babies, both living and lost.

While the incredible team at the Royal Hospital for Women gifted Bella with the opportunity of life, they also gifted us with something very special - the gift of precious time with our baby girl. To hold her, to get to know her, to love her with all that we have, and to learn so much from her.

We hope in time we will have the strength to elaborate on the many challenges that Bella faced and the ones she ultimately overcame, because it is an inspiring story well worth telling. But for now, we would just like to sincerely thank, from the bottom of our hearts, the hundreds if not thousands of medical staff and volunteers involved in Bella’s care during her precious time with us and the enormous community effort behind the funding and operation of the medical facilities we called home for 14 months. We would also like to thank you, our beautiful friends and family, we would not still be standing without you.

We would love to be able to find ways to give back, and this is the best place we know of to start.

Help us give premature babies a better chance of survival

By supporting me, you'll be raising funds to buy life-saving equipment that will give critically ill and premature babies a better chance of survival.

Select amount to donate

$25

$25 - Could provide a jaundiced baby with access to a phototherapy light for 3 weeks. Jaundice is very common in premature babies and if left untreated can cause brain damage

$60

$60 - Could provide a technologically advanced humidicrib for a sick or premature baby for 5 days. These humidicribs have been described as ‘the next best thing to the womb’

$225

$225 - Could provide a life-saving resuscitation cot for 23 babies born in distress and needing assistance to breathe.

$575

$575 - Could provide a state-of-the-art neonatal ventilator for 8 weeks with for a baby with underdeveloped lungs, weighing as little as 500g

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Total amount

Thank you to my Sponsors

$1.02k

Anonymous Donor .

$1.02k

Billie Stevens

$1,000

Thilak Rathnayake Mudiyanselage

$520

Anne Maree & Paul

Billie and Dany, this is such a wonderful way to support the plight of premmie babies, and in memory of your lil beautiful Bella. ❤️

$520

Anonymous Donor

Your donation has been matched by an Anonymous Donor.

$520

Margaret Hastings

$520

Anytime Fitness

$520

Melissa & Brendan Peera

With all our love.

$520

Gitanjali Bajaj

With all our love xx

$520

Anonymous

Thank you so much for your donation in memory of Bella.

Your donation has been matched by an Anonymous Donor.

$301

Shannon, Ryan And Pia

$301

Anonymous Donor .

$263.75

Howard And Sisi

Lots of love

$263.75

Anonymous Donor .

$211

Lisa Louie

Beautiful Bella, You will always have a special place in my heart, and so many more. May your light shine bright and your memory move mountains 🩵 All our love, Lisa, Sam and Tahlia xx

$211

Anonymous Donor

Your donation has been matched by an Anonymous Donor.

$211

Stephanie Irwin

You were so brave little Bella 🦋 In memory of you little one xox So proud of you Billie and Danny! Continuing to be so humble, giving and courageous. Love you both, Steph and Owen

$211

Cath & Lachie Hg

You have touched our lives forever Bella 🦋

$211

$208

Pauline & Bill

In loving memory of beautiful Bella ❤️❤️❤️

Your donation has been matched by an Anonymous Donor.

$158.25

Patricia Hajjar

God bless you 🤍

$158.25

Nicole Maddocks

Thinking of you Billie and Dany ❤️

$158.25

Anonymous Donor .

$158.25

Anonymous Donor .

$105.50

Joel Hetherington

❤️

$105.50

Anonymous Donor

Your donation has been matched by an Anonymous Donor.

$105.50

Schipp Family

For the bravest little girl and her very incredible parents 🦋

$105.50

Tasmina Alamgir

Thinking of you, your family and beautiful baby girl ❤️

$105.50

Lena Chapple

Beautiful Isabella. I’m sad we didn’t get to meet you. But you are so loved. May what comes next be a grand adventure for you (l).

$105.50

Lauren, Nick & Amelia

Such a precious, beautiful girl! And a wonderful cause that we are so happy to contribute to. Sending our love from Canada! Xx

$105.50

Jess Clarke

$105.50

Holly & Phil Baker & Keenan

❤️❤️❤️

🦋🦋🦋

$100

Anonymous Donor .

$63.30

Anne Maree & Paul

Billie and Dany, this is such a wonderful way to support the plight of premmie babies, and in memory of your lil beautiful Bella. ❤️

$63.30

Anonymous Donor

Georgia Hudson

$63.30

Tina Dix

In memory of Bella the Brave and her amazing mum and dad❤️❤️❤️

Anonymous Donor

$60

Melissa Mir

Sending love and light xx

$60

Alina Oussova

$60

Amine Jabbour

I didn’t get the chance to meet you Bella ! This is Amine, your dad’s second cousin and to whom I have a very special place in my heart. You are a gift from the sky and an angel that will be always looking over us. You have brought smiles to this family and we will cherish your memory forever.

$60

Carl H

In loving memory of Bella ❤️

Anonymous Donor .

$52

Anna Monahan

$26.38

Anonymous Donor

Your donation has been matched by an Anonymous Donor.

Isabella Milia

In loving memory of baby Bella

Help us give premature babies a better chance of survival

Please Help MeReach My Goal

Raised

$28,629

My Goal

$5,000

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I'd like to make this donation

Thank you to my Sponsors

Anonymous Donor .

Billie Stevens

Thilak Rathnayake Mudiyanselage

Anne Maree & Paul

Anonymous Donor

Margaret Hastings

Anytime Fitness

Melissa & Brendan Peera

Gitanjali Bajaj

Anonymous

Anonymous

Anonymous Donor

Judy Jason Ella And Hannah

Anonymous Donor .

Adelle & Tom

Anonymous Donor

Shannon, Ryan And Pia

Anonymous Donor .

Howard And Sisi

Anonymous Donor .

Lisa Louie

Anonymous Donor

Stephanie Irwin

Cath & Lachie Hg

Gary And Amy Hastings

Fiona O’riordan

Steph + Trent

Maxine

Steven & Gill Grant

Alicia Lenart

Renee And Dan Fogden

Rach Martin

Darren Thorpe

Rebecca & Brian Hastings

Anne & John

Liz Mccarthy-jones

Amanda Large

Chris And Jenna Taylor

The Meyers

Anonymous Donor

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Anne & Paul Dougherty

Tennille Hay

Ellie Bawden

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Alexandra Doyle

Melissa Mullaly

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Anna Smith

Sally Page

Shay Spencer + Tom Williams

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Reach My Goal