Sunshine Coast mum Jess Sumpton, who helped secure vital new medical equipment for our region, has called on locals to get behind Wishlist Giving Day on 26 March.

“Give a little, and help a lot – please support this Wishlist Giving Day – it makes a huge difference to the health of so many kids on the Sunshine Coast," Jess said.

It’s nearly two years since a heavily pregnant Jess Sumpton contracted a bacterial infection which turned septic and spread to her womb, putting her child in danger.

Daughter Nellie was born at the Sunshine Coast University Hospital (SCUH) eleven weeks early, weighing just 1.6 kilograms.

She had a bubble in her lung and they had to put a tube into her to save her life – the first of many medical interventions.

“We had the four boys at home, so it was really hard with Nelly for seven weeks,” Jess said. “It was tough on our family, back and forth and all that.

“Every day I would get a message from one of the girls at Wishlist, someone checking in on me.”

Nellie stabilised and mum and bub were allowed to go home after seven weeks and Jess became the face of the 92.7 MIX FM’s Give Me 5 appeal,  which allowed Wishlist to buy an MRI compatible ventilator which has already helped dozens of children in its first year.

Now Jess wants the Sunshine Coast to get behind Wishlist Giving Day on 26 March which is raising funds for a vital paediatric cardiology ultrasound and non-invasive CO2 monitoring machine that will help tiny hearts be cared for right here, on the Coast.

The ultrasound will save many Sunshine Coast babies from travelling to Brisbane for treatment, and two non-invasive CO2 monitoring machines will mean most babies won’t have to get needles for blood tests.

Nellie has since grown into a happy and health little girl and is expected to be taken off the premmie list in a matter of weeks.

To help patients like Nellie people can give on Thursday 26 March, and donations will be doubled, thanks to Wishlist’s matched donors – Sunshine Toyota; Total Focus Group; Exemplar Health; GVS Reliability Products; Caloundra RSL; Protector Al; Maroochy RSL

Wishlist CEO Brendan Hogan said the doubling of donations means people really can give a little and help a lot.  

 “It means your $50 transforms into $100, amplifying your impact and the change you help create,” Mr Hogan said.