Shooting Stars

It’s always inspiring to see the difference volunteers make to the lives of strangers, but I’m blown away when I meet people who can turn their negative personal experiences into a positive force for others. Recently I’ve had the privilege of working with a community interest company called Sociabitliy Care, founded by Jo-Anne Shellum, to document their volunteer project - Noah’s Star.

Jo-Anne’s twin sons were born at only 25 weeks and she faced many challenges staying at the hospital, caring for both them and their older sibling. Tragically one of the twins passed away shortly after birth and the project is named in his memory, a beautiful legacy.

Noah’s Star is a free sibling support service that helps families with sick and premature babies in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) of the Birmingham Women’s Hospital. By providing a safe and fun place for siblings to play, the volunteers allow parents vital time with their newborn and to talk to the medical staff more easily.

Having spoken to some of the people they have supported, as well as the hospital staff they work alongside, the volunteers presence clearly means so much more. Another friendly face to talk to and often bearing the gift of tea. The support is even more meaningful given many of the volunteers have themselves had babies born preterm or know someone who has.

The service they provide is invaluable and Jo-Anne hopes that Noah's Star will expand beyond the single hospital it currently covers. Visit their facebook page here to find out more about them and how you can support if you are in a position to do so. They are all stars…