This festive season we’ve set ourselves an ambitious target to raise $250,000 to fund vital medical equipment required by Barwon Health the tiniest and most vulnerable local patients. Our goals is to fundraise for eight state-of-the-art birthing beds to help support a safe and world-class birth suite environment for local mothers and babies. We also hope to fund 5 new infant and child CPAP ventilators to help the sickest of babies and children who are not able to breathe on their own.
We wanted to introduce you to the Duggal family, whose two tiny babies, Tegh and Sahib, were recently born at University Hospital Geelong. Because of the vital, life-saving care they received at birth, the Duggal family are looking forward to their first Christmas together as a complete family.
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My name is Harlin Duggal and my partner Inderjeet and I are the proud parents of newborn twins, Tegh and Sahib.
I went in to Barwon Health for a routine scan on a Monday and just two hours later our boys arrived after an emergency caesarean.
We learned our babies were suffering a rare pregnancy condition called Twin-to-Twin Transfusion Syndrome, where one twin gives away more blood than it receives in return and has risk of malnourishment and organ failure. The other twin receives too much blood and can suffer cardiac complications. It was incredibly scary to hear this news.
Because of their premature arrival our boys required crucial care at University Hospital Geelong’s Special Care Nursery. Sahib received critical blood transfusions at birth.
I remember during their birth counting every single medical person helping with their arrival and feeling so blessed to have this care in Geelong.
I was born in India and have lived in Australia for 8 years now and I feel so lucky to be in this country with amazing care.
We also have a two year old daughter who was also born at 32 weeks gestation at University Hospital Geelong, so to have such welcoming care for both births is truly beautiful.
Having this vital medical support so close to our Geelong home has been incredibly important as we juggle two of our own businesses.
We were not shocked but amazed to learn we were having twins. Now I’m amazed that they will be heading home with us this weekend after 5 weeks of life-saving care. We are so lucky.
I urge you to help us raise funds for equipment that supports the safe arrival of precious babies in Geelong
Please, if you can, consider giving generously to this important appeal this Christmas.
You can donate online here.
With our family now complete, this Christmas will be so special, because ewe get to share it together as a happy and healthy family – all thanks to the incredible care our three children have all received.
For this…. we are so grateful.
Many thanks,
The Duggal Family
