Courtney Baremans

I’m fundraising for the Starlight Children’s Foundation. And I need YOUR support.

Did you know that every minute of every day, a child is admitted to hospital in Australia?

Six months ago, that child was mine.

Our daughter Avery was born with Pierre Robin Sequence (PRS), which affected her breathing and feeding from the moment she arrived. She spent the first month of her life in hospital. For two weeks she relied on CPAP to help her breathe, until her Tubingen Palatal Plate was inserted. She was also fed through an NG tube for over two months.

As a parent, nothing prepares you for watching your baby go through constant poking and prodding. Nothing prepares you for leaving your newborn in the NICU while you go home to your other children, trying to split your heart in two. That was the hardest part for me — being apart from Avery and feeling helpless while she fought so hard.

But in the middle of one of the most challenging seasons of our lives, there were small moments of light.

When my partner and I couldn’t be at the hospital, volunteers would stop by Avery’s cot to cuddle her or read her a book. There were times we walked into the NICU and found her in the arms of a Starlight volunteer, or being read a story. Those moments meant more than I can explain. They eased the guilt of not being there every second. They reminded us that she was cared for, loved, and not alone.

Every day we walked past the Starlight room in the hospital and saw children laughing, playing, and just being kids — even while facing unimaginable challenges. Avery wasn’t able to leave the NICU to experience it herself, but seeing the joy it brought other families showed us just how important that happiness is.

That’s why this fundraiser hits so close to home.

This May, I’m taking on the Super Steps challenge to raise funds for the Starlight Children's Foundation — the incredible organisation whose volunteers made such a huge impact during our NICU journey.

I’ve set myself a goal to walk or run thousands of steps every day for the entire month. Every step I take is for Avery, and for the many other families still walking those hospital corridors.

When you sponsor my challenge, you’re helping create moments of happiness for seriously ill children and their families — moments that truly make all the difference.

Any amount, big or small, will help brighten the lives of kids going through tough times in hospital.