Fiona Scott (Lindsay, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

All too often, many families across our community experience perhaps one of the most traumatic and tragic life experiences: the birth of a critically ill child or, worse still, stillbirths or infant perinatal deaths. My community of Lindsay is home to an exceptional neonatal intensive care unit and within it resides the Nepean Family Room.

This facility provides respite from the clinical hospital environment. The family rooms are a warm, homely safe haven and provide quiet time to aid the mourning process. These rooms provide a home away from home, allowing a sense of normalcy at what is such a difficult time. Families are able to take a break, have a cup of tea, have a shower or even heat up a meal.

Recently, I had the huge privilege of taking the Prime Minister's wife, Margie, to the Nepean Family Room to meet with local families. It is my great honour to have both Kathryn and Ian Garton from the Garton Group here in the chamber today. Kathryn, who has experienced the neonatal intensive care unit for herself, has been a driving force in contributing back to our community and to the establishment of the Nepean Family Room. I would like to again welcome them here today and thank them for their service to our community. That service provides so much to so many families going through such traumatic circumstances.