THE BRAT PACK ALL GROWN UP
PREMMIE MIRACLES AN INSPIRATION
A RUSH of premmie bubs had the stork flat out with deliveries 24 years ago.
And the story of the miraculous survival of six tiny babies, all born around the same time in early 1996 and the first to be cared for in Pindara Private Hospital’s special care nursery, remains an inspiration for Gold Coast families.
Peter Carroll, Roger and Brodie Cook, Hannah Calcino and James and Calvin Wigmore were born more than eight weeks early on the Gold Coast or in Brisbane. All then spent a lengthy time in Pindara until they were out of the woods and ready to go home with their new mums and dads.
Ever since then a photograph of the impatient patients, dubbed the “Brat Pack”, has hung on the wall of the maternity unit, accompanied by another photo of them in Year 1 in 2002.
Pindara maternity unit manager Johanna Stevenson says the photos are a “positive reminder to new parents that from small things big things grow”.
“This photo humanises the experience for new parents of preterm babies,” she said.
“They enjoy hearing the story about how old this group of six are now and how they have grown up to be young adults.”
The Bulletin recently reunited the six-pack, now aged 24, with their doctors and special care nursery staff.
Hannah Calcino, who was born 10.5 weeks early at 1651g, said it was very special to reconnect with the others and medical staff.
“Our doctors remember who we were, our names and our mothers’ names too,” she said.
Ms Calcino is now 1.75m tall, fit, healthy and a secondary school teacher at St Hilda’s.
“I don’t have any residual health issues from being born a premmie,” she said.
“My parents have never wrapped me in cotton wool or placed limitations and have instead insisted that I don’t ever settle and have always encouraged me to relentlessly pursue my passions.”
Paediatrician Dr David Pincus said it was pleasing to see the positive outcome for a group of babies who were so small and fragile when born.
“It’s a tribute not only to their hospital care but also to their families,” he said.
Peter Carroll, and twin brothers Brodie and Roger Cook and James and Calvin Wigmore, have also been thriving.
Mr Carroll, who was born 10 weeks early at 1585g, now lives in Brisbane. The former All Saints Anglican student is studying arts and education at the University of Queensland. He has travelled to 24 countries, volunteered in developing countries and has three jobs. Brodie and Roger Cook were born 12 weeks early and still call the Coast home. They said despite being born premature, they had “gone on to live a totally normal life.”
Their favourite memory from the past 24 years is of hiking to the base camp of Mount Everest together.
James Wigmore, an electrician, and his brother Calvin
Wigmore, a painter, were born eight weeks early.
James said he wants new parents who gaze at the photo in the Pindara maternity unit to know “how great, successful and healthy the brat pack members are and there’s nothing to worry about”.
Midwives now care for more than 200 preterm babies in the Pindara special care nursery each year.