Town clock will glow purple to salute premature babies

RAISING AWARENESS: From left Ashleigh, Wendy and Caleb Stichbury. Twins Caleb and Ashleigh were born premature at just 23 weeks and five days. Today is World Prematurity Day and they hope that by sharing a little bit of their story they can help raise awareness. Picture by Paul Rickard

A PURPLE town clock might seem strange, but that is what people will see on the main street this evening in recognition of World Prematurity Day.

The Lighting Up Purple campaign is a worldwide event that sees a purple hue cast over iconic landmarks to raise awareness for the 15 million premature babies born each year.

Lytton High School students, twins Caleb and Ashleigh Stichbury, appreciate this more than most. They were born at 23 weeks and five days.

Now 14, Ashleigh says they were so small when they were born they were the length of a pen and could fit their parents’ rings around their ankles.

“Were we really tiny at 610 grams and 650 grams and we had to be in hospital for 128 days.”

Mum Wendy Stitchbury says having children born at less than 6 months was a stressful experience.

“I certainly never expected to have them so early. I had nothing ready. We were just blown away by the unknown.

“They were on ventilators and in oxygen machines, they had brain scans, blood transfusions — you name it. Caleb had heart and hernia surgery.”

The special care baby unit at Gisborne Hospital sees more than 150 babies pass through its doors each year. At times intensive care is required at Waikato Hospital’s neonatal intensive care unit.

More than 10 percent of babies are born premature in New Zealand. That equates to a premature baby born every 90 minutes in New Zealand — more than 5000 each year.

“You have to put a lot of trust in the doctors. It is amazing the technology they have. I think it is great that the town clock is lighting up, especially to remember babies who have not survived. We have been incredibly lucky,” says Wendy.

The country’s Lighting Up Purple campaign is headed by The Neonatal Trust. Other buildings to turn purple will be Wellington’s Michael Fowler Centre, the Christchurch International Airport Terminal and Control Tower, the Oamaru Opera House and town clocks in Blenheim and New Plymouth.

Past international participants include the Empire State Building, Niagara Falls and the Trevi Fountain in Rome.