St George’s Neonatal Unit shortlisted for national award!
St George’s Neonatal Unit has been shortlisted for ‘Outstanding Team Care’ at the Butterfly Awards – an annual event which honours survivors of baby loss and celebrates the work of those who support them.
The winner will be announced at a ceremony in Warwickshire on Saturday 19 October, following a public vote* and judging panel. You can support the Neonatal Unit by voting for them here.
The team are honoured to have been nominated by Eloise and David Mathis, whose son Sonny sadly died last year.
They said: “Our little boy Sonny Mathis was transferred to St George’s in May 2018 after suffering an antenatal cord event which left him with brain damage.
“The neonatal team at St George’s were absolutely amazing at supporting us as a family. They helped by talking to us and explaining things, ensuring we were involved in all decision making with our son’s care and by reminding us to drink water, eat and sleep.
“Unfortunately Sonny wasn’t going to be with us for long on earth. The team supported us in transferring Sonny to a hospice and ensured it was a smooth transition.
“The care our son received and the support they gave our family was amazing. They were all so kind and caring, and helped us learn to care for our boy in the time he was with us.
“This team do amazing work and deserve to know how great they are and what a difference they made to us in such heart-breaking and traumatic circumstances.”
Dr Nigel Kennea, Consultant Neonatologist who helped to care for Sonny, said: “I’m delighted that the team has been recognised for the care it provided at such a difficult time. It’s really amazing work from everyone in our multi-disciplinary team, including the doctors, nurses, counsellors and our charity, First Touch, who have all been really touched by this nomination.”
Now in their seventh year, the Butterfly Awards were founded by Mel Scott, who lost her son Finley during labour in 2009. She wanted to create a space for parents and professionals to find information and support following the death of a baby.
Mel said: “Babyloss remains a taboo. The Butterfly Awards provide an important platform to bring this topic into the light. We don’t shy away from the difficult areas, or remove the sadness and emotion from the event. We provide a safe, held space where tears and cheers exist side by side.”
*The public vote closes at 11pm on Saturday 12 October. St George’s staff, please note that votes are limited to 1 per IP address. This means you may not be able to vote from your Trust computer of if you’re logged into the Trust’s Wi-Fi. Please vote from your mobile phone or from home.
Notes to editors
For press enquiries, please contact Sophia Alipour, Media Officer, via sophia.alipour@stgeorges.nhs.uk or 020 8725 2185.
