Supporting women and babies in crisis situations
Many women receiving care at King Edward Memorial Hospital (KEMH) come from metropolitan, regional, and remote areas, often in emergency situations. Some patients may require extended hospital stays – lasting weeks or even months – due to high-risk pregnancies or complex gynaecological conditions, including cancer treatments. During this challenging time, many women experience feelings of isolation, distress, and vulnerability.
In emergency situations, patients frequently arrive without essential items such as underwear, basic toiletries, or baby necessities. The Women and Infants Research Foundation plays a vital role in supporting these women and their babies by providing essential supplies through the hospital’s social work department.
How we help
Our support services aim to provide comfort and dignity to women and babies in need.
These include:
- Baby Bundles – A package containing essential babywear and blankets, ensuring newborns have warmth and comfort in crisis situations.
- Women’s Care Packages – Providing essential toiletries, underwear, sanitary items, and clothing to women in emergency hospital admissions.
- Perinatal Loss Support – Offering compassionate care for families who have experienced the loss of a baby. This includes clothing, comfort blankets, and keepsakes, such as ‘Feely Hearts’ – tactile hearts that provide a small but meaningful comfort during grief.
- Connect Play Mats – Designed to facilitate bonding between mothers and their babies, especially for those experiencing mental health challenges such as postnatal depression.
Additionally, our dedicated community of knitters and sewers, under the guidance of the physiotherapy team, craft preterm baby gowns, fabric support systems, and NICU cot covers – enhancing the care and comfort provided in the neonatal intensive care unit.
Meeting growing demand
Due to the increasing pressures of the housing crisis and domestic violence, KEMH’s social work department is experiencing a rising demand for basic supplies to support women and babies in crisis. Our ability to meet these needs is made possible by our dedicated on-site volunteer team and our extended community of knitters and sewers, who generously create clothing and comfort items for women and babies in need.
Your support helps us continue this vital work.
