Mackenzie Anderson is quite simply
a miracle bub.
Born prematurely at the Sunshine
Coast University Hospital last year, the now energetic eight-month-old spent
the first 4.5 weeks of her life in Special Care Nursery.
Gympie mum Crystelle Anderson says
at the time she didn’t realise how much of a struggle it would be to spend so
long in hospital.
“Not being able to hold your new
baby, let alone take her home, is not the ideal way to start figuring out this
whole new life,” she said.
“Having
a premmie baby wasn’t something I ever considered as a possibility, until I was
diagnosed with preeclampsia. We are just so lucky that Mack didn’t have any
major issues – apart from being small.
“She is smashing all her
milestones and she truly is the living incarnation of ‘though she be but
little, she is fierce!”
Ms Anderson and Mackenzie will be taking part in the Wishlist Fun Run on Sunday, October 18, at Lake Kawana, as a way of giving back to the hospital who took such great care of baby Mack.
“I spent nearly 4.5 weeks in the
Neonatal Unit while Mack was feeding and growing.
“During this time, we were lucky
enough to have facilities provided by Wishlist when we needed some more space, or
quiet time, than our little room in the ward.
“The
Parents Retreat was such a great place to quite literally retreat to, especially
when you sometimes have no other opportunity to breathe fresh air for days on
end.
“I know not every hospital has the
amazing facilities that we were fortunate enough to experience, and I'm so
thankful for what Wishlist have done - and this is just the minimum of what
they do. Clown Doctors, equipment and so many more faculties that are probably
taken for granted.
“Sometimes it’s the tiniest things
that can make a tough situation a little easier.
“To show our appreciation, our
team is doing the 5km Wishlist Fun Run, to raise money for Wishlist so they can
continue to support patients and their families.”
Wishlist
Event Manager Lisa Wilson said entries were still open for the Wishlist Fun Run
– which the not-for-profit charity hope more than 600 people will turn out for.
“We have 2.5km, 5km and 10km
tracks – all around beautiful Lake Kawana, plus the free East Coast Traffic
Services’ Kids Dash,” Ms Wilson said.
“It is such a great morning out
and it really helps our charity purchase life-changing medical equipment,
support researchers to investigate and improve methods of care, and continue
our service support projects like the Clown Doctors or therapy dogs.
“You never know when you or a
loved one might need the help of a local hospital, so this is fantastic way to
support a 100 percent local cause.”
Registrations start at $20 for
adults and $10 for children.
Find out more by visiting wishlist.org.au.
FAST FACTS: Wishlist Fun Run
When: Sunday 18 October
Where: Lake Kawana – Sportsman Pde, Bokarina
Register: www.wishlist.org.au
