Two-year-old Aurora Bruce is a bright-eyed toddler who shows no developmental signs of the traumatic entrance she made to the world.
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Although, for parents Sarah Bramston and Daniel Bruce the experience associated with almost losing their daughter to pregnancy complications is something they want to spare other parents-to-be.
Aurora was born 12 weeks premature on April 15, 2015 after Sarah suffered a uterine rupture. Sarah had lost 1.8 litres of blood and her newborn was lifeless. They spent the next seven weeks at the Royal Prince Alfred hospital’s Neo-natal Intensive Care Nursery (NICU).
Sarah and Daniel are now advocates for the Miracle Babies Foundation that offers support to parents of premature and sick newborns, a service Sarah regrets not knowing about in 2015.
In 2016 Daniel raised $10,000 for the foundation when he and a group of mates rode postie bikes from Cobar to Cameron’s Corner.
Their quest to raise awareness of the support available to parents is highlighted this month as the nation marks the Miracle Month of May. The national awareness campaign puts the spotlight on the struggles faced by premature and sick babies and their families.
“It definitely would have helped to know what other people had gone through and that there’s a light at the end of the tunnel,” Sarah said on reflection.
“We were in such a foreign environment in Sydney itself which was so traumatic.
“For me the whole experience took its toll and I wish I had gotten help for myself straight away because I think it would have changed a lot of things.”
She feels more people need to be aware of the foundation which offers support to the families of up to 48,000 babies each year.
“People need to be more aware,” she said. “Premature babies have been around forever but people don’t know much about them and I can definitely say I was one of them.”
For now she will continue enjoying her vibrant toddler who she described as an independent, full-on little girl with an affectionate and social personality.
“It still blows my mind that she was so little. I’m extremely happy where our life is going with her. Seven weeks in Sydney felt like forever but looking back she’s just a strong little survivor.”
Read more: Aurora’s one miracle little baby
