Early birth fears spark 1000km trip
A YOUNG woman in danger of prematurely giving birth to twin boys has been forced to abandon her family and travel more than 1000 kilometres to Townsville due to a shortage of emergency hospital beds in South East Queensland.
Bargara resident Jaime Walker said daughter Chloe Mckay, who is 29 weeks pregnant, was flown from Bundaberg to Townsville on Friday night, leaving behind distressed partner Jason Shillingsworth and daughter Peyton, aged just 14 months.
Ms Walker, a residential youth worker, said Bundaberg Hospital was not equipped to deal with premature babies under 32 weeks’ gestation and there were no neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) beds available in Brisbane.
“We know we’ve got a failing public health system but I’ve always been impressed with their care in maternity and antenatal,” she said.
She said the lack of NICU beds in the south had added to the strain in Townsville, which “had to cover the top half of the state”.
“Townsville has taken on even more, which we are very thankful for,” Ms Walker said.
She said it was an exciting time for the family when they found out that twin boys were on the way but Chloe had endured a “tricky pregnancy”.
She said that excitement had become a nightmare after Chloe was flown unaccompanied by family to
Townsville, a more than 11hour drive north.
“That first night especially, she’s obviously still very young, she’s 21, and she was scared and without her partner and without her baby,” she said.
“We don’t know people in Townsville and she was in there alone wondering what is happening. She’s very disconnected from her partner and family.”
Ms Walker said Chloe had been with Jason, who is Indigenous, since they were 14.
She said Jason had panicked when he was told his partner was being flown so far away but was coping better now that he had a plan in place to get to Townsville.
“Jas has never been on a plane his entire life,” she said.
“It’s been a big fear but he’s ready to get on top of it to get up there to be with her.”
Ms Walker said they would not have been able to
pay for Jason’s flight from Brisbane to Townsville on Thursday morning if it were not for a Gofundme page she had organised to help the struggling couple.
She said the site had so far raised $1500 to help cover the costs of the flight, which was not covered by the government, and mounting expenses.
Ms Walker choked back tears as she said the public’s support for the family’s predicament “made me cry”.
“Honestly, everyone is doing it so tough at the moment and just our friends and family were so quick to dig in and help with what they could,” she said.“the day before it just seemed like it was all impossible to get anyone up there to support her … it restores your faith in humanity. It’s making me cry just talking about it.”
The Department of Health has been contacted for comment.