11 November 2015

Wellington joins Global prematurity campaign and ‘Lights Up Purple’

Landmarks around New Zealand will be lit up alongside international landmarks in a campaign for World Prematurity Day on 17 November.

This is the second year New Zealand has taken part in the ‘Lighting Up Purple’ campaign, which is designed to raise awareness of the 15 million babies born prematurely worldwide each year.

A number of well-known Wellington landmarks are ‘Lighting Up Purple’ this November. These include the Michael Fowler Centre, the Hikitia crane on the Wellington Waterfront, the street lights alongside Frank Kitts Park, the Carter Fountain in Oriental Bay and the Cable Car tunnels. In addition, the iconic Cuba mall Bucket Fountain has purple water!

Wellington Deputy Mayor Justin Lester says “Worldwide about one in ten babies are born prematurely and face the risk of lifelong health problems. I know from personal experience, as a parent of a premature baby, that it’s a stressful time and families need all the help they can get.”

Lester added “I’m very proud that Wellington City Council can support World Prematurity Day by helping to light Wellington up purple. It’s great to be able to support The Neonatal Trust in this way and help raise awareness of the issues premature babies and their families face.”

Among the other buildings turning purple across New Zealand are the Christchurch International Airport Terminal and Control Tower, the Oamaru Opera House and the Clock Towers in Blenheim, New Plymouth and Gisborne. Past international participants include the Empire State Building, Niagara Falls and the Trevi Fountain.

Every year over 1,000 babies pass through the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) in Wellington hospital. These babies are either born premature, or require additional care due to complications or illness. In addition, over 400 babies are cared for in the Special Care Baby Unit (SCBU) in Lower Hutt hospital each year.

A premature baby is born every 90 minutes on average in New Zealand. That’s more than 5,000 or 10 percent of all babies each year who have to go through a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) or Special Care Baby Unit (SCBU). In addition to premature babies, sick full-term babies are cared for in neonatal units. The complications these babies face are often only apparent once the baby is born.

New Zealand’s lighting up campaign is headed by The Neonatal Trust. The Trust supports families of premature and sick full-term babies across New Zealand.

“The charity works to support neonatal families as they make their journey through a neonatal unit, the transition home and onwards” said Neil O’Styke, Executive Director of The Neonatal Trust.

“We are incredibly grateful for the support we receive and the willingness of these incredible landmarks to get involved. It’s just another example of the incredible support the New Zealand community gives charities.”

Many New Zealanders are personally affected, or have friends and family who have experienced premature births or had a sick baby require specialist care.

“It’s an issue which affects a significant amount of our population, and we are excited to see the New Zealand community get behind our campaign” he adds.

ENDS

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