Brydens Lawyers NSW Blues coach Brad Fittler and fellow NSW True Blue Paul Langmack have shown their support for newborn intensive care, taking part in the 2018 Race for Grace at The Children's Hospital at Westmead.
The 24-hour-cycle challenge is an initiative of the Grace Centre for Newborn Intensive Care (GCNIC), raising money required to care for seriously ill babies and providing support for their families. GCNIC treats newborn babies with complex medical conditions and serious cardiac and surgical disorders. Every year, staff and specialists will care for 600 of the sickest babies from across Australia and overseas.
NSWRL CEO David Trodden was happy to support the worthwhile cause.
"It's important for our organisation to support our community," Trodden said. "The people at Westmead Children's Hospital do such special work that you can't help but be impressed by them.
"They deserve our support and although Race for Grace is only a small gesture, it's really important to us to make them understand that we appreciate the good work they do."
The centre was formally endorsed as the first Newborn Individualized Developmental Care and Assessment Program (NIDCAP) Training Centre in the Southern Hemisphere in late 2017. It is the only comprehensive, family-centred, evidence-based approach to newborn developmental care, focusing on adapting the intensive care nursery to the unique neurodevelopmental strengths and goals of each newborn cared for.
In 2018, GCNIC aims to raise $60,000 from the challenge - and it is close to reaching its target. More than $57,000 has now been raised, with further donations welcome at raceforgrace2018.gofundraise.com.au.
