Tennis legend Lleyton Hewitt champions neonatal care
Tennis legend and proud dad Lleyton Hewitt has opened up about the reason he’s backing a national campaign to support little Aussie kids in need.
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Mater lottery ticket purchases fund medical research and patient care services across Mater Research, Mater Health and Mater Education. We may receive payments for sharing this content and when readers purchase lottery home tickets through links in this article. Learn more
During epic rallies on the court, tennis legend Lleyton Hewitt was known for his catchcry ‘C’mon’. Now, the father of three is using this voice to champion little Aussie battlers in neonatal care.
He has been announced as the latest brand ambassador for Mater Prize Home’s largest ever$3.5 million lottery package, which includes a luxury Gold Coast home with its very own Championship inspired tennis court. Tickets are $2 and the money raised funds medical research, equipment, and patient care.
“For (wife) Bec and myself, if the doctor came in and they said, no, there is an actual issue, I don’t know how we would react. You know, it’s the most joyous moment to see your baby being born, but then to know that this precious little thing has got to go through all these operations and this hardship … it’s stressful,” Mr Hewitt said.
Director of Lotteries, Simon Jarvis, said the decision to select the two-time Grand Slam champion was motivated by his tenacity. Hewitt captured the hearts of the nation during his playing career by leaving it all out on the court and fighting to the last point.
“His fighting spirit is embodied in many of our tiniest patients in Mater Mothers’ Neonatal Critical Care Unit (NCCU) who are in the fight of their lives from the moment they arrive and who receive the best possible care,” Mr Jarvis said.
During a surprise visit to the NCCU recently, Hewitt saw first-hand how the funds from Mater Prize Home ticket sales are used to buy vital equipment including a range of state-of-the-art ventilators and specialised beds, used to care for some of Mater’s tiniest patients.
“When you see some of these babies and what they’re going through and how many tubes they’re connected to, they really have to be fighters. And I guess when I relate back to how I was on the tennis court. I felt like one of my biggest strengths was fighting and that never say die attitude. And in some way, I think that’s exactly what these little babies are going through,” Mr Hewitt said.
“Most parents, including myself, would never even know a place like this exists, let alone expect to find themselves in such a situation,” he said.
“When I found out the critical role Mater Prize Home plays in supporting these babies, and their parents, I was eager to get involved.”
Dr. Pita Birch, Director of Neonatology at Mater Mothers Hospital said around 2000 of Mater’s sickest and most fragile babies will be cared for at the NCCU each year.
“Some babies may spend as little as a few hours or a night or two with us in the NCCU, but we have babies and families that spend months in our unit,” Dr Birch said.
“Premature babies are born with underdeveloped and fragile lungs and will need complex breathing support for weeks or even months after birth. At any one time, there may be over a dozen babies in the NCCU on mechanical breathing support and many others on less invasive forms of support for their breathing,” he said.
Mater Prize Home is part of Queensland’s social history with 307 homes won so far. The latest prize is a four-bedroom, three-bathroom, triple garage Hamptons style property in Maudsland in Queensland which sits on a substantial 4006sq m lot.
Mater Prize Home held Queensland’s first real estate art union in 1954 — where the first prize was a two-bedroom house in Surfers Paradise, valued at £4,150, or $7,800.
Mater Foundation CEO Andrew Thomas said it was now one of the longest-running art unions in Australia.
“Every person who buys tickets in Mater Prize Home plays a vital role in bringing hope and healing to so many in the community, through supporting vital medical research and exceptional patient care at Mater. This support enables Mater to continue to be at the forefront of research, education, and healthcare.”
The former tennis world number one is joining the likes of popular TV personality Andrew Winter (Selling Houses Australia, Love it or List it) and former Australian Netball captain Laura Geitz as Mater Prize Home’s latest brand ambassador.
To buy tickets visit materlotteries.com.au. Terms and conditions apply.
Mater lottery ticket purchases fund medical research and patient care services across Mater Research, Mater Health and Mater Education. We may receive payments for sharing this content and when readers purchase lottery home tickets through links in this article. Learn more
Originally published as Tennis legend Lleyton Hewitt champions neonatal care
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