When the unimaginable happens, nothing matters more than knowing our loved ones will have access to the best possible care. One person who understands this deeply is Jen from our team at the Foundation.
On the night Jen’s daughter, Elle, was born, everything changed in an instant. What started as a routine labour quickly became a fight for her newborn’s life. Elle was born breathing but starved of oxygen, leaving Jen and her husband, Jesse, facing the terrifying reality that their daughter might suffer lifelong brain damage.
Elle was rushed to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) and urgently needed a specialised cooling system to support her brain to recover. She was monitored around the clock as the clinical team watched carefully for signs of improvement.
It was an incredibly emotional time for Jen and Jesse. They spent those first days by Elle’s specialist cot, longing for the cuddles other parents were sharing with their newborns, and facing the fear of what her future might look like.
What brought them comfort was knowing Elle had the very best team and the very best equipment, watching over her every second.
"As a parent you want to give your child everything they need, but we weren’t in a position to do that. What she needed, we couldn’t give her and it broke my heart. I am so grateful to NICU and for this machine that helped heal her brain - for giving her everything we couldn’t in those early moments." -Jen.
With the aid of cutting-edge technology and the exceptional care from NICU staff, Elle’s brain fully recovered.
“It’s so important that this technology is available to every baby who needs it. I can’t imagine where Elle would be without it.” - Jesse
Elle is now a thriving ten-year-old and loves singing, dancing and reading the Harry Potter series. Thanks to the exceptional care she received — made possible in part by generous supporters like you — you would never know she had such a dramatic start.
Jen’s family, like so many others, has relied on the world-class care provided by our hospitals, care strengthened every day by donor generosity. Thank you for considering a donation to Wellington Hospitals Foundation this festive season. Your support helps provide exceptional, specialist care when it is needed—truly a meaningful way to give this Christmas.
Funding equipment across all areas of health is just one of the ways the Foundation supports our hospitals. Your generosity helps make this possible every day — from providing essential tools both large and small, to supporting staff excellence, running our volunteer service, and providing meaningful care items in emergencies.