Legacy of love, support for NICU families

WHAT began as one family’s healing journey through grief has quietly grown into a powerful legacy of love, connection and early developmental support for vulnerable newborns and their parents across South Africa.

- ZELDA VENTER

Since launching just under two years ago, Archie’s Archives has brought comfort to thousands of families through seven of Netcare’s neonatal intensive care units (NICUs). Now, in a major milestone, a further 12 Netcare hospitals are receiving Archie’s Archive units, expanding the impact of this special initiative.

Verena Bolton, neonatal nurse and national coordinator of Netcare Neelisa human milk banks, described the project as “beautifully simple and profoundly impactful”.

Prepacked, sealed bundles of books - handpicked and donated by volunteers - are stocked into the Archie’s Archive shelving units, ready to be gifted to parents whose babies are admitted to the unit’s for an extended period.

Bolton explained that these books were not shared among families but are theirs to read aloud at their baby’s bedside and to take home afterwards, upholding strict hygiene standards.