STAFF and visitors at the Great Western Hospital are being encouraged to wear purple for World Prematurity Day on Friday.

The hospital is also holding a number of events throughout next week. For parents and families of babies on the special care baby unit at the hospital, usual visitor hours have been relaxed on Saturday and Sunday and staff are inviting people in to visit their babies at any time, with an increased number of visitors allowed by the cot side.

There will also be a chance for families to enjoy a slice of cake as our staff and parents are busy baking purple-themed treats to be shared on the ward.

Ward manager Helen Orton, said: “Saturday is a really important day for premature babies, their families and the staff who work so hard to care for them. Having a premature baby can be devastating for parents, and we want to show them as much support as we can to make the traumatic situation more bearable.

“We are asking for as many people as possible to get involved and the easiest way to do this is by wearing purple. It will mean so much to us to have a sea of purple across the hospital over the next week.”

On November 23, the SCBU team will be holding a stand in the Atrium to encourage people to learn more about prematurity and understand the importance of World Prematurity Day. There will also be a raffle, with proceeds going to the national charity Bliss that works with babies born premature or sick.

One in ten babies is born premature and it is the leading cause of death in the UK for children under five years of age.

“We are very proud of the work that our neonatal unit does to support babies and their families after premature birth,” said Dr Sarah Bates, consultant paediatrician and neonatologist.

“World Prematurity Day is a great opportunity to raise awareness about prematurity, and its impact on babies and families.

“To support us in raising awareness, please share your experiences on social media using the hashtag PrematurityIs.”