Christmas with Dignity caps off remarkable year After a tough year for
The meals were provided in collaboration with Vinnies and The Dish in Hornsby, as well as being delivered to referred individuals and families in the district’s local government areas. These meals and hampers were delivered with funds donated by staff who opted in to make a meaningful difference straight from their pay checks. All donations are taken out of your pay before it is taxed and does not affect gross income or other calculations, such as superannuation guarantee payments or Fringe Benefits Tax (FBT). Dignity CEO and Founder Suzanne Hopman: “This year, people already at risk of homelessness have continued to be pushed closer to the edge and the need for food relief continues to be great and we are so thankful for the researchers found that when it was hotter, the risk of preterm birth increased for all women and particularly for women with diabetes, hypertension, chronic illness and those who smoke. On days where it was hotter than 33 degrees the risk of preterm birth increased by 12 per cent compared with a 20 degree day. This increase in risk was potentially higher for women with diabetes (29 per cent), hypertension (29 per cent), chronic illness (17 per cent) and those who smoked during pregnancy (19 per cent). Lead study author Edward Jegasothy PhD said it was the first study to link effects of extreme weather and preterm birth in the temperate climate of New South Wales.
ongoing support of the staff of NSLHD which has meant we have been able to work towards meeting this need in Northern Sydney.” “The generous donations made to our Christmas with Dignity campaign are currently being delivered to people in the community who are facing financial hardship and at risk of homelessness. On behalf of Dignity, thank you to everyone who has donated.”
everyone, Northern Sydney Local Health District’s staff made an incredible impact for those who are less fortunate. Partnering with Dignity, the district’s workplace giving partner, NSLHD contributed to Dignity’s Christmas appeal which in total produced more than 500 Christmas hampers, which is 100 more than 2020. Dignity will deliver the hampers and gifts across the district thanks to the tremendous support from district staff via the collection of gift Christmas Trees at donations, more than 3700 meals and 200 hampers were provided between July and December to around 700 local residents who were at risk of homelessness as part of the food relief program. hospital locations. In addition to these women are more likely to have a preterm birth when exposed to extreme heat and those with pre-existing conditions may have an even higher risk. Preterm or premature birth, when a baby is born before 37 weeks of pregnancy, is the leading cause of infant death worldwide and many children born early deal with ongoing health problems for the remainder of their lives. The team from Women and Babies Research at the Kolling Institute and the University of Sydney examined over 918,000 births in NSW over a ten-year period. The study found about 29,000 or 3.2 per cent of babies were born as a result of preterm birth. Importantly,
CE Deb Willcox with donations for Dignity
Research: extreme heat increases risk of premature births Researchers have found that
“We now have a better understanding of the
relationship between extreme heat and preterm births. Our study adds to the growing body of evidence regarding the health impacts of climate change-related exposures. This is particularly important given the increasing temperatures and heatwave events not just in Australia, but globally,” he said. “These findings are also important given the long term and significant implications of preterm births and the potentially exacerbated risk in mothers with underlying health conditions.” The findings encourage pregnant women to stay well hydrated and reduce their exposure to extreme heat.
NSLHDNEWS | ISSUE 23 | 17 DECEMBER 2021
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