L’il Aussie Prems Foundation Inc. (LAPF) is Australia’s largest online support community and forum for families of prematurely born children and sick newborns. We are a voluntary not-for-profit organisation set up to provide online support, raise awareness, bring parents together who have travelled a similar path whilst encouraging families to share their personal and unique journey through our website. No matter where families are located geographically, our website and support services are assessable 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
The Foundation’s website was initially established in 2007 by Julia Toivonen, who gave birth to her first son at 27 weeks gestation. The forum and website continue to offer a lifeline to families. In October 2012, with the goal of expanding the online support provided to families, L’il Aussie Prems Foundation became a registered charity, incorporated in the state of Victoria.
L’il Aussie Prems Foundation is a member group of the National Premmie Foundation and continues to work in collaboration with other premmie support groups in Australia.
Our Mission
• To provide ongoing emotional and practical support to families who have a child that spent time in a hospital NICU/SCN unit
• Provide an informative website and quarterly e-newsletter
• To provide a safe and supportive online community for families to seek comfort and support when sharing their child’s milestones and achievements whilst in hospital and beyond
• To provide a comprehensive list of support groups and other informational services that will assist in supporting families
• To ensure that the Premmie Gift of Hope Journal (co-created by Yasminah’s Gift of Hope) continues to reach families who have recently began their hospital NICU/SCN journey with their child
• To co-ordinate the “Wear Green for Premmies Day” campaign held annually in April each year to raise awareness and celebrate all children born too soon
• To co-ordinate the “Premmie Hero Awards” campaign held annually to raise the profile of volunteers within the premature birth community
• To promote and encourage families to partake in research which will hopefully one day result in a reduction in the number of premature babies and improve their long term health and survival rates
• Raising funds to support L’il Aussie Prems Foundation Inc. to meet and expand its aims and objectives
• To endeavor to expand the support services and continue to raise awareness of premature birth and the on-going issues that it can create
• To celebrate World Prematurity Day on the 17th November each year
