Chez Johnson's Blog

MEDIA RELEASE

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Do you know a "Local Premmie Hero"? L'il Aussie Prems website seeks nominations for Australia's first award recognising the work of volunteers within the premature baby community.

Every year in Australia, thousands of babies are born prematurely. Their families ride a rollercoaster of emotions as they watch their children fight to overcome the health and developmental issues facing them as a result of their early arrival. These issues continue long after the babies are discharged from hospital.

L'il Aussie Prems (LAP), an online support site for families of premature babies, is proud to sponsor Australia's first award to recognise and celebrate the dedication of individual volunteers within the local premature baby community.

LAP is seeking nominations from around Australia of "local premmie heroes" - the ordinary yet extraordinary people who give up their time to support the families of premature babies both during their hospital stay and afterwards, doing everything from sewing tiny clothing for very low birth weight babies to setting up local playgroups for prematurely born children to organising fundraising for research into the causes of premature birth.

"As a community of parents, we understand the premmie journey and how hard the road can be. We want to recognise and pay tribute to those people who go out of their way to make things easier for other families travelling that road." said Julia Toivonen, founder of the L'il Aussie Prems website and mother of two premature babies.

Nominations of local premmie heroes can be made via the L'il Aussie Prems website at www.lilaussieprems.com.au/hero Nominees do not need to have any premature children of their own. Nominations open Friday 20 February 2009 and close on Thursday 30 April 2009. Details of the winners will be announced in May 2009.

Our major sponsor is Practical Parenting Magazine.

For more information please contact:


For more information please contact:

Mrs Julia Toivonen
Telephone: 0412 248 583 (mobile)

Email: admin@lilaussieprems.com.au

OR

Ms Danielle Siler

Telephone: 0403 218 473 (mobile)

Email: laphelpers@live.com

DONT FORGET: Check out the Specials Page for The Zaky Infant Hand Pillow at L'il Aussie Prems