Twin’s Exhibition raises funds for Milk Bank

Photographs of 50 sets of twins from Gladstone to Brisbane will be on display this month at Gympie Regional Gallery.

The project, was instigated by Gympie photographer Bambi Wixon to raise funds for the Royal Brisbane Women’s Hospital, Neonatal Intensive Care Unit and the RBWH Milk Bank for premature babies, in particular multiple births.

Bambi, who is well known on the Cooloola Coast for her beautiful family and wedding photography, says, “My inspiration for the project is a set of twins I have been photographing since they were 5 months old, now they are 5.” She loved watching how they interact together.

” I wanted to help raise money, and asked mums with twins ‘What hospital? What support do you need?’ “

Bambi found out that most Queensland twins are born in the Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital and many are born preterm.

The Australian Breastfeeding Association state on their website that one woman can produce enough milk for two babies, even though people sometimes doubt that it is possible.

The Milk Bank website explains that in cases of premature birth, women sometimes have trouble producing enough of their own milk or, any milk at all, which may be compounded in artificial and stressful situations.

The availability of donor breast milk through the RBWH Milk Bank provides parents with an alternative to formula and the choice to give their baby optimal nutrition. 

The RBWH Milk Bank opened in November 2012, and is largely funded by community donations and grants. They screen and pasteurise the milk from eligible donors, which helps reduce the length of stay, improves survival rates and reduces the stress placed on families. 

Bambi discovered that, “Hundreds of mums are sitting there ready to donate, but the Milk Bank does not have the storage space.”

“A medical grade freezer unit costs $8500.”

Fellow photographers and friends, Susan Wall (also a twin) and Willow Smith resolved to raise the funds to purchase another freezer, and the ‘Twins – More to Love’ exhibition is the result.

The Opening Night is 4 February, at 6.30pm with a gold coin entry – proceeds to the Milk Bank. The Gympie Regional Gallery exhibition on view until 22 February, with normal opening hours Tuesday to Saturday, 10am to 4pm.

Donations can be made on https://www.facebook.com/TwinsProject2013 . 

Image – Photographer Bambi Wixon’s inspiration for the project – Toby and Aden Young