DHB CEO digs deep

1 February 2008

DHB CEO digs deep to ensure new mums can continue to have a cuppa at The Baby Café

Hawke’s Bay District Health Board chief executive officer, Chris Clarke, today handed over a cheque for $5,000 to Katie Askew, national convenor for The Baby Café.

The Baby Café is an independent service run by a group of volunteers. The DHB provides premises on the hospital campus and the services of its professional lactation consultants three mornings a week.

The service is funded by donations, and after hearing the coffers had dried up and they were running short of money for the basics such as tea, coffee and biccies for the new mums, Chris Clarke has donated $5,000 from a special fund to help The Baby Café team continue to provide a welcoming cup of tea to the mums, dads and health professionals who visit The Baby Café each year.

“Breastfeeding improves a baby’s nutrition, growth and development. The health benefits are well-researched and include helping babies fight infection and reducing the risks of infection and disease.

“When babies are given the best possible start in life, the benefits are life-long, so I see this donation as a long-term investment in a healthier Hawke’s Bay population in years to come,” Mr Clarke said.

Katie Askew said she was ‘blown away’ by the donation, which came out of the blue. “We are absolutely thrilled, as the last few dollars of original $10,000 donation we received from the Tindall Foundation back in 2004 have just been spent.

“We receive donations and koha from some of our service users which has kept us afloat, but this donation is a lifeline and a vote of confidence for the future of the service,” Mrs Askew said.

ENDS

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