Meet Banjo

Single mum, Melanie was thrilled to have success with her third round of IVF and her pregnancy was going well for the first and second trimester.  At 19 weeks the complications started and at 22 weeks and 6 days she was transferred to John Hunter Children’s Hospital so she and her waiting bub could get the care they needed.

Little Banjo was born at just a little over 25 weeks by Caesar.  Melanie wasn’t sure what to expect but when she saw him for the first time in the NICU he was just perfect and looked so healthy & happy.  After a few days in hospital, recovering from her Caesar, she was ready to be discharged.

“I hadn’t even thought out where I was going to go.  Luckily, the hospital referred me to Ronald McDonald House, right next to the hospital.  I walked into this big, clean and homely place and when I got to my room I cried because I was just so overwhelmed with how beautiful it was.

It’s been 3 weeks and at the end of every day when I leave Banjo’s hospital bedside, I say “I’m going Home”. I call it home, it feels like home, it really does. I can’t ask for anything more.  No matter how challenging your day has been as soon as you walk in you’re greeted by a volunteer with a smile. You can connect with other families who are on the same journey and we support one another, which is so reassuring. I’m forever grateful to call this place my Home.”