$800,000 boost for babes foundation

By Melissa Meehan
NATIONAL grief counselling charity the Bonnie Babes Foundation has welcomed the announcement of a one-off $800,000 grant to support its baby, neonatal and family life-saving work.
Berwick resident Ann Stanton was present for the announcement made by federal Health Minister Tony Abbott last week.
Ms Stanton, 54, was 20 when she lost her much-wanted baby Louise.
Ms Stanton did not receive any counselling in the hospital and caught a bus home after her release from hospital.
With no access to counselling and support, Ms Stanton blamed herself for Louise’s loss.
“I represent the older generation of women who have lost children through miscarriage,” Ms Stanton said.
More than 20 years after losing Louise, Ms Stanton met Rachel Stanfield-Porter, who had recently established the Bonnie Babes Foundation in her suburban home.
Ms Stanton finally received the help and support she needed and has been involved as a volunteer for the past 13 years.
“The silent sorrow experienced by families struggling to cope with a loss in this way is profound. One in four pregnancies ends in a loss in Australia, one in 20 babies are born prematurely and one in 200 much-wanted babies are stillborn,” Ms Stanfield-Porter said.
Bonnie Babes Foundation provides resources and support to maternity hospitals across Australia, as well as to GPs, obstetricians and gyneacologists, maternal, child and community health centres.
“This support will enable us to extend the availability of our much needed grief resources across the country, as well as supporting our education of health professionals to empower them to provide appropriate, timely assistance to families in a dignified manner,” Ms Stanfield-Porter said.
“The Government’s announcement of funds to establish a free call number will allow those experiencing the loss of a baby to access immediate grief counselling over the telephone, 24 hours a day, every day of the year without the burden of paying STD charges.
“The foundation receives many calls for help from families in rural, regional and remote areas where provision of general health care is lacking.”