Tiny Lives
Kans and Kandy have been amazing supporters to Tiny Lives. In the past 14 years they have supported us by attending our annual Black and White Party Ball. This support enables Tiny Lives to provide much needed training equipment such as the SimBaby which is an infant patient simulator that allows staff to practice responding to a wide range of scenarios and develop their individual and team working skills in a safe environment. The Sim Baby is an intelligent mannequin with inbuilt computerised facilities, which can be programmed to simulate a wide range of scenarios.
“We have made the training of new and existing staff using Sim Baby an integral part of the work on the SCBU. All staff now recognise the importance of practising these ‘drills’ and the junior medical staff (the consultants of tomorrow!) in particular have benefited enormously – many have said how the key skills they learned and developed with Sim Baby have helped them provide better care in the emergency situation.” (Consultant, Ward 35)
Kans and Kandy kindly purchased a transport incubator which is used to safely transfer premature and sick babies between the RVI and other hospitals in the Northern Neonatal Network area. Babies may need to be transferred for lots of different reasons, including cot availability or specialist treatment.
“About 1 in 5 babies looked after in Newcastle are referred to us from hospitals across the north-east with problems after birth. The team from Ward 35 will travel to the referring hospital to start treatment and then move the baby to Newcastle. A vital part of this process is having the right equipment and staff to move these very sick babies safely. Once these babies have recovered and no longer need the specialised care we offer in Newcastle the same equipment is used to return them to their local hospital, which in turn frees up our intensive care cots for other sick babies. Our transport incubator is therefore an absolutely vital part of our service.” (Consultant, Ward 35)
Tiny Lives also holds a Christmas Reunion Party every year for the babies and children who have been on the Special Care Baby Unit. This enables parents to see other parents they met on the unit and it is also giving something back to the babies and children who have been on the unit. The children get to meet Santa Claus then receive a present. This would have not been possible if it was not for the ongoing support Kans and Kandy give to Tiny Lives every year by proving the selection boxes for Santa to give to the children.
Without Kans and Kandy’s support Tiny Lives would not have been able to provide the above to the Special Care Baby Unit and to the families and children who have been on the Special Care Baby Unit.
The Tiny Lives Trust would not be possible if it was not for the great support from our supporters and we can’t thank the staff and trustees enough.
