NCCU twins graduate high school on World Prematurity Day

"World Prematurity Day is an especially meaningful day for me today, as my boys graduate high school today! I am eternally grateful for the bright future they have in front of them, all because of the wonderful care they received."

Thanks to Linda Back for sharing her personal journey on World Prematurity Day, which is observed to raise awareness of preterm birth and the concerns of preterm babies and their families worldwide.

"Our boys were born at 30 weeks after suffering a life-threatening condition called Twin-to-Twin Transfusion - where the placenta doesn't feed each baby equally. Many babies pass away before they are born from the incredible stress of receiving either too much or not enough blood flow through the placenta, and there is a high rate of disability amongst those who do survive.

We were very lucky - our boys were safely delivered weighing 3lb 7oz (1.5kg) and 1lb 12oz (0.8kg), and spent 7 and 10 weeks under the care of the Neonatal Critical Care Unit at Mater Mothers' Hospitals.

These amazing group of people looked after our babies, encouraged us and took care of our little ones for us when we had to go home at the end of each day. The power of touch and voice are so important in the nurseries - all parents are encouraged to stroke their babies and talk to them while they are still too small to leave the humidicrib, and once they are able to be held, skin-to-skin contact (called 'kangaroo cuddles') is done as often as possible. In the nurseries, these non-medical treatments are equally as important as the other life-saving measures that are taken. As a naturopath, it reinforces to me that there is far more to healing than just the physical side of things.

It is an especially meaningful day for me today, as my boys graduate high school today! I am eternally grateful for the bright future they have in front of them, all because of the wonderful care they received."