Emerson matters
That’s why Mater matters
Giving other families and staff at Mater’s Neonatal Critical Care Unit (NCCU) access to the same love and support they received is the motivation behind generous donors, Bernadette & Grant Murphy.
During her 75-day stay in Mater’s Neonatal Critical Care Unit (NCCU) in 2020, miracle baby Emerson was cared for by 56 nurses.
Emerson’s mum, Bernadette, wrote down the names of each and every one of them. They quickly became like family members, entrusted to help Emerson navigate her first, critical steps on a life-long journey with medical condition tracheo-oesophageal fistula (TOF) and oesophageal atresia (OA).
“It was completely overwhelming, it was a brand-new world which we were thrust into from that moment,” Bernadette said. “It was an intensive, transformative process for us. We formed a very strong connection with Mater through that.
“I can’t express how thankful I was on so many occasions where it just felt like you were at the point where you couldn’t go on, and you were feeling broken, just a kind word from the staff here or there, the support, just pulled you through it.”
“The staff at NCCU were incredible. The attention to detail, the standards of care, it was incredible. We wanted to recognise that, give something back and show appreciation… it was such a profound level of gratitude.”
Passionate about benefiting staff and making life easier for both them and other families, the Murphy’s have made a major gift to Mater Foundation to purchase NCCU cameras and an i-crib. The cameras proved critical for the Murphy family during their NCCU stay, with the family based in Toowoomba and Grant juggling fulltime work and care of their two-year-old son, George.
“I wish we could do more... I don’t think it will ever feel enough,” Grant said.
Bernadette and Grant Murphy’s major gift honours the care their miracle baby, Emerson, received and is their way to express gratitude and ‘give back’ to Mater.
