Senior Sister Debbie Marshall said: “The socks are intended to raise awareness of the particular needs of premature babies. Anything we can do draw people’s attention to their plight is worth while”.
The NICU provides specialist intensive and surgical care for the most critically ill, neonatal babies and is the only neurosurgical unit in the region. It is specially designed and equipped to offer specialist treatment for vulnerable babies, taking referrals from across the region and sometimes the UK. The unit also houses the Evelyn Perinatal Imaging Centre which opened earlier this year and where specialists research the functional imaging of the newborn brain.
Hundreds of tiny socks, hats and gloves have been donated to the unit by staff and patients to help keep the premature babies at the unit warm.
The National Awareness Day has been co-ordinated by the premature baby charity Bliss. They suggest everyone on the day wears purple and staff on the Addenbrooke’s neonatal unit will put purple ribbons on their lanyards. Every baby on the unit will also have a purple quilt for the day and there will be a candle for each family.
Around the world people will be putting the candle in a window at home and lighting it at 19.00 today.
Image: Senior Sister Debbie Marshall.
For more information on Bliss, go to http://www.bliss.org.uk/
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PR & Communications
Cambridge University Hospitals
For more details contact: louise.gosling@addenbrookes.nhs.uk tel: 01223 586 730
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Little socks mark World Prematurity Awareness Day at Addenbrooke’s
17 November 2013
Today (Sunday 17th November 2013) is World Prematurity Awareness Day. Staff on the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at Addenbrooke’s hospital will be marking the day by displaying tiny pairs of socks all around the wards and corridors.