Sarah Tuohey in running for local hero award

SARAH Tuohey’s volunteer work supporting parents who have lost their babies has seen her become a finalist in the Westfield Local Heroes community recognition and grants program.
The Leopold mum-of-three is a volunteer with Angel Gowns for Australian Angel Babies, which transforms wedding dresses into gowns for babies who have passed away up to the age of 18 months.
Angel Packs containing a gown or wrap, blanket, nappy, beanie, booties and a keepsake are provided to hospitals, funeral homes and direct to distressed parents who find it difficult to find an outfit for their angel baby.
Sarah said she started volunteering for Angel Gowns after spending three months in the Royal Women’s Hospital while pregnant with her third child.
“I was diagnosed with a deadly pregnancy condition called placenta percreta and was only given a two per cent chance of survival due to a morbidly attached placenta,” Sarah said.
“I delivered a premmie bub at 32 weeks and we are both healthy and safe thanks to great doctors surgeons, but during my time at the RWH I met lots of mums who had tiny premmies and a lot are too small for clothing.
“Many do not make it and so I started volunteering because of that.”
Sarah said she went on the first Hope for Accretta Australia weekend retreat and met a mum who had gone through this ordeal to lose her uterus due to hysterectomy, as she did, and unfortunately lose her baby.
“I knew then I needed to continue doing this work to help me heal and provide something for these mums at their worst time,” she said.
Westfield Local Heroes are nominated and voted for by their communities, with the three top finalists per Westfield centre each awarded a $10,000 grant for their affiliated organisation.
If Sarah is successful, Angel Gowns for Australian Angel Babies will put the funds towards supplies, postage and brochures for prospective volunteers and hospitals.
The voting period for Westfield Local Heroes closes on Monday August 12.
Visit westfield.com.au/local-heroes or your local Westfield centre’s website to read about the finalists and cast your vote.
Each Westfield centre’s three successful grant recipients will be announced on October 1 2019, with 120 grants and a total of $1.2million awarded across Australia and New Zealand.