15th May 2025 marked our 3rd annual Koala Cuddle Day, and what a beautiful day it was! A huge thank you to everyone who helped make it so special.

This year, we shone a spotlight on the importance of Skin-to-Skin Care (SSC) for babies in hospital with Congenital Heart Disease (CHD), while championing closeness between parents and their little ones, especially during difficult times in hospital.

For Staff: Learning, Laughs & Lovely Prizes

Our team got stuck into a range of engaging activities:

• A fun and educational SSC Quiz had everyone testing their knowledge! Big congratulations to Cardiac Specialist Nurse Katie, who won a fabulous Koala water bottle and chocolates, kindly donated by CHUF.

• Practice stations gave staff the chance to reflect on SSC challenges, practise techniques, and share ideas on how to better support babies and families.

• We explored how to build comforting nests to help babies recover post-surgery, conserving energy and reducing stress.

• And we discovered how small touches, like gentle nappy changes, can make a huge difference for a sick baby’s energy and comfort.

For Parents: Connection, Confidence & Care

There were so many warm and meaningful conversations between parents and staff throughout the day.

One mum shared:

“I really see the benefits of skin-to-skin care. I did this with my son when he was a baby and now he’s 2, but he still likes being held close when he’s worried or scared in hospital.”

We proudly launched our new parent-friendly guide:
“The Power of Touch: Skin-to-Skin Care in Hospital”
Feedback was overwhelmingly positive:

“I really appreciated being able to read about SSC and understand the benefits. It helped us prepare and actually look forward to it!” — Dad of a heart baby

A very special moment was helping one mum finally have skin-to-skin cuddles with her baby after surgery:

“It’s been 5 days since I’ve held Oliver. Today, holding him close, feeling him settle and sleep on me, was just wonderful.”

For Babies & Children: Koalas, Cake & Cuddles!

Of course, we didn’t forget our smallest superheroes!

• Every child received a cuddly Koala Book to treasure

• We played “Guess the Name of the Mummy and Baby Koalas”, with a very snuggly soft toy for the winner!

• The Koala Treasure Hunt was a huge hit, even taken to children in isolation so no one missed out

• Families were supported to enjoy those precious Koala Cuddles, filled with comfort and love

Thank You

From our amazing clinical teams to our wonderful families, and of course Chuf for their generous support, thank you to everyone who made Koala Cuddle Day 2025 such a fun, inclusive, and meaningful event.

We’re already full of ideas for Koala Cuddle Day 2026, bring it on!

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