I'd like to welcome everyone here today to the second joint conference of The Alexis Foundation and Preemie-L.
Planning a joint conference by email can be a fraught business - which makes it all the more rewarding to be here to day participating in the real event.
It often happens, in my experience, that the most difficult challenges are also the most rewarding. I can say truly that having an extremely premature baby, and surviving to tell the story has been the most difficult challenge of my life. I know this is also true for the other parents here today.
When our son was born at 26 weeks, Gary and I woke up to a living nightmare, one that is familiar, in one way or another, to everyone here.
What remains an overwhelming memory of that time is how lost and alienated we felt. It wasn't until we were able to talk in depth to other parents that we could begin to make sense of the experience.
Almost 5 years after Vincent's birth, we are still making sense of the experience. But we are stronger now thanks to our connection to the hundreds of families who have been part of Preemie-L over the past three years. And thanks to the work of inspired professionals such as those of you here today.
From the nightmare of Vincent's birth has come the healing and empowering knowledge that families are no longer alone in their sadness and fear because we have a community available at any hour to listen and share advice - an imperfect and annoying community at times, like any in the real world, but an enduring one.
Preemie-L now has over 500 subscribers to the mailing list and 100+ messages posted each day to the bulletin board.
And in every instance it has been the birth of a tiny fragile little baby that has led us to each other, and to the good we can do in the world by working together. From small beginnings has come a great and universal enterprise.
I'd like to thank Elaine Sayers and The Alexis Foundation for all their hard work, both visionary and pragmatic.
I'd like to thank the Preemie-L Conference Committee. It has been wonderful to work with such a creative and committed group of people.
Thank you to everyone who continues to be part of Preemie-L. And a special and very grateful thankyou to those kind people who parted with their hard-earned dollars to pay for me to come here from Australia. That was an unexpected gift which I'll always treasure. And I hope you get your money's worth.
I want to thank all the parents and their preemies for the heroism of their daily lives.
And I wanted to thank particularly the medical professionals who have come to our conference. I know you are here because you believe in the importance of good communication with parents, as an extension of the kindness and care you show our babies. I truly admire the courage of your convictions.
And finally, before I set a new precendent for prolonged and rambling speeches, I want to thank my husband Gary Hardy. He is the real founder of Preemie-L and his unwavering support is the reason I can continue to devote my time to work for Preemie-L. Thankyou Gary.
I hope the next few days bring us all renewed strength and inspiration, and enough fun and happiness to keep us all going until the next conference.
Thank you.
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