Within the Neonatal Intensive Care (NIC) at the Women’s and Children’s Hospital (WCH) is a unique and quiet space known as the Mayfly Room.
This space serves as a sanctuary for families experiencing the loss of a baby, offering them a private place to grieve, connect, and create lasting memories.
Over the past year, this special room has provided comfort to 12 families. Designed to be a “home away from home,” its less clinical environment allows families to spend precious time with their little one. Here, they can share moments that will be cherished forever, from creating special artwork to spending quiet nights holding their baby skin-to-skin.
Complete with a bed, private shower, and kitchen facilities, the Mayfly Room is a haven for love, connection, and healing.
Neonatal Services (NNS) nurse Georgina has seen the vital impact of the room firsthand. “This space allows families to process their grief and loss in a much more private and personal way while making a lifetime of memories with their little one,” she shares.
“Many of these families have welcomed loved ones, held blessings or baptisms in private, and created handprint artwork with siblings and their baby.”
Its creation was inspired by the compassion and vision of Rebecca May, a dedicated NNS nurse who recognised the need for a comfortable, private space for families facing loss. With the support of our generous community, we were able to bring the Mayfly Room to life, providing families with a place to create memories and find comfort.
When the Mayfly room is in use, the Women’s & Children’s Hospital Foundation, with support from Paddy and Lulu’s Gift, assists families through the provision of meals, as well as flowers and items to assist with memory making. These gestures of care help to bring a small measure of light to families during their darkest days.
