By CAM LUCADOU-WELLS
TENDER photographs are what preserve the memory of Casey councillor Damien Rosario and wife Renee’s late daughter.
On Tuesday, the couple presented a high-quality camera, ink, paper and printer to St John of God’s hospital in Berwick to help other families capture memories of their stillborn children.
The camera is engraved in dedication to the Rosario’s only daughter Amelia who died at birth two years ago.
Amelia was cruelly struck with Patau syndrome – a genetic disorder that produces an extra copy of the 13th chromosome.
Patau syndrome babies are struck with profound deformities and mental disability, and rarely survive beyond a year.
“It’s like a fatal version of Down syndrome,” Cr Rosario said.
At the time, a friend organised through charity Heartfelt for a professional photographer to go to their hospital bedside.
The photographer captured beautiful images, which were compiled into an album of the family’s brief time together.
Since then Renee has helped other families enduring the same heart-breaking diagnosis.
She also fund-raised more than $1000 for the camera kit from Heartfelt, which organises voluntary professional photographers to capture a family with their stillbirth, premature or terminally ill children.
“It’s been pretty hard. We try to do something to make her memory mean something,” Cr Rosario said.
He said St John of God was chosen as the beneficiary because it was originally the couple’s preferred maternity hospital.
Amelia’s complications caused her birth to be shifted to Monash Medical Centre.
Ms Rosario said the kit would be a way for grieving families to “make memories” with their child.
“We will never forget our beloved daughter, this is for her.“
For details on Heartfelt, go to heartfelt.org.au.
