Waverley councillor Angela Burrill welcomes first child Anderson

WAVERLEY Councillor Angela Burrill’s newborn Anderson is only tiny but he already has the heart of a warrior.

Waverley Councillor Angela Burrill and her baby Anderson.

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WAVERLEY Councillor Angela Burrill’s newborn Anderson is only tiny but he already has the heart of a warrior.

For the past three weeks, the baby boy has been fighting for his life with the help of exceptional doctors, midwives and nurses.

Cr Burrill, of Lawson Ward, said she was proud of her first child Anderson who made an unexpected entrance into the world on March 20, weighing only 1.55kg.

“He’s doing really well and I’m hoping he will be home in a couple of weeks,” she said.

“He’s just so lovely and well-behaved — he barely cries at the moment.

“I’m really happy.”

Trish O’Brien, Chief Executive of the Royal Hospital for Women Foundation, met with Waverley Councillor Angela Burrill and baby Anderson in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit.

Anderson was delivered under emergency caesarean at 31 weeks, at Randwick’s Royal Hospital for Women.

Cr Burrill said the staff at the neonatal intensive care unit had saved her baby’s life.

“I realised how amazing the work that they do is, having experienced it first hand,” she said.

“It’s important for the community to be aware that we have this amazing unit.

“They’re so good at their jobs and the level of equipment that they have (but) it surprised me how underfunded the building and the actual facilities are.”

Cr Burrill said the unit needed upgrading.

“Here they are doing this most incredible lifesaving job and, really, they’re totally cramped,” she said.

“Their unit is tiny and there are so many babies in there.”

Royal Hospital for Women Foundation chief executive Trish O’Brien said: “After 19 days under the watchful eye of Royal nurses and midwives, Angela is still smiling because she has witnessed first-hand the medical excellence that is enabled here by the best nursing care possible, along with lifesaving equipment, much of it provided by generous donations through the foundation.”

Cr Burrill said she was still working out whether she would need time off from her council duties.

“After five day, six nights, I got to go home,” she said.

“I come in (to the nursery) every day.”