Our Journalists

Rebecca Baker is a senior writer at The Advertiser and Sunday Mail in Adelaide, where her focus is on families and young people, issues relevant to everyday people and the trends affecting everyday life. As a storyteller she is passionate about sharing and celebrating the extraordinary efforts and successes of our mums, dads, kids, educators, sporting coaches, health practitioners and community stalwarts.

@baker_bec

Rebecca Whitfield-Baker

Latest

Lifestyle

Little Sam Roberts died just before his 5th birthday of a rare neurological degenerative condition called Niemann-Pick Disease Type C, spending the last two years of his life in hospital. His mum and dad, Michelle and Marty have since raised $1 million for the Women’s and Children’s Health Network (WCHN) Paediatric Palliative Care Service (PPCS) in his honour. .PIcture: supplied.

We took him to hospital … he lived there until he died

He was just three years old when he was admitted to hospital but despite years of treatment, little Sam never made it home. Now, his parents have raised almost $1m in his honour.

Lifestyle

Greg Hean, Scott Hoyle (kneeling) and Ben Wundersitz, are part of the Fat Farmers is a farmer-led initiative founded on the Yorke Peninsula, pictured on July 17th, 2024, in Maitland.Picture: Tom Huntley

Unlikely fitness poster boys take on a big issue

Three 40-something country larrikins have emerged as unlikely fitness poster boys, inspiring the nation’s rural folk to get in shape.

Lifestyle

18/7/24. Five Bolton Clarke Walkerville aged care residents will mark their 100th birthdays at a special joint celebration with 500 years under their belts collectively Patricia Wld, Kathie Beasley, William Hilton, Don Wills and Joy Order

500 remarkable years of living combine for a lifetime celebration

From having “a happy husband”, to good friends and simply embracing life – and love – five remarkable centenarians share their tips for a long life at a joint birthday celebration.

Lifestyle

Portrait of angry businessman working on laptop and using smart phone at home. Customer service frustration generic

‘Absolutely forbidden’ act parents think is harmless

A top divorce lawyer says split-up and warring parents need to be very careful to avoid this dangerous social media sin.

Lifestyle

It's Gen Z (18 to 29) and Baby Boomers (60 to 78) who are most likely to host/ attend Olympic watch parties new national research shows. Olympic mad grandparents Michael and Julie Weatherald, (Tim Weatherald's mum and Dad, baby boomers), and their grandkids, TimÃs eldest daughter Katie, and her younger sister Lucy (Gen Z), are all gearing up for the upcoming Paris Olympics. 12 July 2024. Picture Dean Martin

Gen Z’s surprise reaction to Aussie Olympics hype

The Boomers will be first out of the blocks to cheer on the Aussies at the Olympics, but they’re not the ones who caught audience researchers off-guard.

Lifestyle

Jhanvi Beejay with Mia Fulgencio (left) and Thea Hattersley with Vino Manisekaran (right). The toddlers became best friends while waiting for liver transplants at Adelaide hospital. They have both since received their lifesaving transplants. Picture: supplied

‘We’re besties but I wouldn’t wish how we met upon anyone’

The mums of two adorable little girls who live in different states, almost 500km apart, have forged an everlasting friendship, bonded through heartache, joy – and a mother’s love.

Lifestyle

Former Air Force Nursing Officer Val Lawrence meets Warrant Officer Class One Darren Wasley at the War Veteransâ Home at Myrtle Bank in South Australia. Warrant Officer Wasley was one of the children evacuated from South Vietnam during Operation Babylift and is now studying at the Australian War College. *** Local Caption *** During the Vietnam War, Operation Babylift was the name given to the mass evacuation of children from South Vietnam to many countries across the world, including Australia. On 22 March 1975, the Saigon Post newspaper reported that the United States was beginning to airlift 10,000 refugees a day from the central Vietnam city of Da Nang. Australia also began airlifting orphans from April 1975 pICTURE: ADF/SGT Murray Staff.

50 years on, RAAF nurse meets bub she flew home to SA parents

In the chaotic days leading up to the fall of Saigon, thousands of orphaned babies were evacuated out of Vietnam – South Australia’s Darren Wasley, a 30-year Army veteran, was one.

Lifestyle

The Williams family have been doing the FIFO life for 11 years. Pitcures: Ben Clak and supplied

‘It can break down relationships’: The reality of being a FIFO family

These childhood sweethearts were just one month into FIFO life when they discovered they were expecting their first child, 11 years on they share how they make it work.

Lifestyle

Careworks runs a youth program at its Davoren Park site which includes teaching young people skills such as hospitality and coffee making. Youth Worker Sara Carbone (left) teaches Volunteer Ash Childs the art of coffee making. 4th July 2024. Picture: Brett Hartwig

A dose of hope helping turn lives around at Hope Street

There’s a special place in Adelaide’s northern suburbs called Hope Street where local young people are given just that, with skills, confidence and self-belief.

Lifestyle

At 90, Dulcie Boag is the Hutt St Centre's longest serving volunteer - still volunteers once a week. Pictured on June 20th, 2024, in Adelaide.Picture: Tom Huntley

‘Don’t judge’: Reason woman has volunteered for 44 years

This Adelaide great-grandmother has been dishing up kindness to the city’s most vulnerable for almost half a century. Find out why.

Original URL: https://www.adelaidenow.com.au/journalists/rebecca-baker/page/5