Do you know a “local premmie hero”?

L’il Aussie Prems 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 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, the list is endless.

Nominations are open from Friday 20th February 2009 and close on 30th April 2009, and the winner’s story will be published in Practical Parenting Magazine.