By ALANA MITCHELSON
A BEACONSFIELD couple has donated a painting to a Berwick hospital to express its gratitude to the nurses and other hospital staff after enduring a premature birth ordeal.
New parents Anthony and Keera Tavelli were due for their second baby, Evan, in June when Keera began suffering from pre-eclampsia at the start of May.
But events took an even more dramatic turn when her waters broke about six weeks earlier than expected.
“Evan spent 16 days in the special-care nursery at Casey Hospital and Keera was given a single room,” Mr Tavelli said.
“I also have a four-year-old and two other kids from a previous relationship, so juggling life for those 16 days – with visits to and from the hospital – was very difficult. I think we kept the local McDonald’s in business for a number of nights.
“Throughout the whole thing, all the nurses were so brilliant and so personable. It made the experience so much easier to know we were in good hands.
“What those nurses did for Keera … the length these people went to under the public system was amazing to see. It didn’t matter what time of the day or night it was, they always greeted me by name with a smile.”
Mr Tavelli said the couple had considered giving staff a box of chocolates to say ‘thankyou’ but felt they wanted to do something extra special to convey their gratitude.
“As we saw very young babies – born from 32 weeks onwards – coming into the Special Care Nursery, and a number of mums in a pretty bad way, we knew we wanted to do something to recognise the incredible work they do at Casey Hospital,” he said.
“I’d just started a fantastic role at Endeavour Foundation and part of that foundation is QArt Studio which provides employment and training to talented professional artists with a disability. So we decided to donate an artwork by one of these artists that could be hung on the wall in the hospital for staff and patients to enjoy.”
Artist Tiffany McBroom’s painting portrays a tree of life which the Tavellis felt was fitting.
It now hangs in the entrance to Casey Hospital’s Special Care Nursery. The hospital plans to display a plaque acknowledging the arrival of Evan and Ms McBroom’s artistry.
