New transport incubator supports lifesaving care for vulnerable babies

Thanks to the generosity of our community an incredible 500k was raised for a new Neonatal Transport Incubator that has now joined Wellington Regional Hospital's Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) Flight Service. 

When a baby is born premature or critically unwell, every second counts. Around 500 babies need to be transferred yearly to Wellington Regional NICU from hospitals across the central region. In those critical moments, safe transport and expert care can make all the difference.

For Gisborne mother Waimarie, the importance of the service became clear when her daughter Koko was born three months premature, weighing just 736 grams.

"It was terrifying," Waimarie shares. "I'd just had a baby and had no idea how she was. I didn't even know if she'd survive the flight. It's only a one-hour flight from Gisborne to Wellington, but it felt like forever."

Like many babies requiring specialist neonatal care, Koko needed to be transferred urgently in a Neonatal Transport Incubator. This equipment often described as a “mobile neonatal intensive care unit” allows specialist teams to provide advanced, continuous care when it matters most.

Dr Krishna Raghu, Neonatologist, describes the service simply:

"From Gisborne to Nelson, no baby journeys alone."

The over $500,000 required to partially fund the incubator was made possible thanks to the thousands of people in our community who support the Foundation through one-off and regular donations, alongside generous grant funding from New Zealand Community Trust, Pub Charity Ltd and The Lion Foundation.

It is the sixth neonatal transport incubator to receive support from the Foundation, bringing our communities total contributions to around $4 million for advanced neonatal care over the past 20 years.

Charge Nurse Manager Rosemary Escott is grateful for the generosity of our community and says the incubator will strengthen the team’s ability to provide specialist care during some of the most critical moments in a baby's life.

“We are incredibly grateful for the very generous donations Wellington Hospitals Foundation has received and their unwavering support for this project, amongst many others. Escott expresses.

 

The arrival of the new incubator was marked with a special presentation at Te Wao Nui Children’s Hospital bringing together clinicians, funding partners and supporters who helped make the project possible. It was unveiled and named “Bill” in honour of Bill Day MNZM, Founder and Board Chair, recognising his incredible work for the Foundation and his commitment to projects like these in helping bring lifesaving care closer to those who need it most.

To every donor, supporter and funding partner who contributed to this project - thank you. Your generosity will help save and improve young lives for years to come.

Read Waimarie & Koko’s story