Sick, small, and pre-term babies and their mothers were the beneficiaries of the inaugural Western United Football Club/Mercy Perinatal Charity Match Day held at Melbourne’s AAMI Park on Saturday 11 February.
Fans who attended the double-header event, featuring both the Western United men’s and women’s teams rallied to support the work of Mercy Perinatal’s team of researchers, who are dedicated to improving the lives of women and babies globally.
Prof Walker with WUFC Goalkeeper Alyssa Dall’Oste
Mercy Perinatal Co-Director Professor Sue Walker was joined at AAMI Park by a crowd of supporters and fans, including Amanda Sheedy, a mum of three boys who are thriving thanks to the dedicated work of Professor Walker and her team.
After encountering a series of life-threatening health challenges, Ocean Grove mother and full-time police officer Amanda Sheedy says it was a privilege to finally meet Mercy Perinatal’s specialist clinicians.
Prof Walker joined by Amanda Sheedy with her husband Anthony and their children Alan and Odin Sheedy
“Over nearly four years, I have been cared for and guided by the most skilled and compassionate doctors and nurses at the top of their profession,” Amanda says.
“Coming on top of an earlier very serious illness, my pregnancies also became incredibly stressful but in the safe hands of Mercy Perinatal’s skillful clinicians, we now have three amazingly wonderful and active little boys.
“Alan, Odin and Starkey have grown in leaps and bounds, hitting all their milestones and filling us with joy every day.”
Professor Walker says the team’s researchers and clinicians have built an international reputation for its centre of clinical care, education and research.
“At the heart of Mercy Perinatal is a commitment to ensuring mothers and their newborn babies arrive home safely,” says Professor Walker.
“Most of us know someone who has experienced the grief of a stillbirth or the sadness of a pregnancy complication. Despite all our medical prowess, approximately one in 130 Australian pregnancies results in stillbirth”.
Western United Chief Executive Officer Chris Pehlivanis says the club’s players, staff and supporters have absolutely embraced the work of Mercy Perinatal.
“Their work is impressive and we are thrilled that we are partnering with Mercy Perinatal in the club’s Charity Match Day.”
“Some of our players recently visited the Mercy Perinatal labs and later turned up at training full of admiration and respect for the team of clinicians and researchers they’d witnessed at work,” says Western United women’s goalkeeper Alyssa Dall’Oste.
“We’re proud to be wearing the Mercy Perinatal logo on the back of our shorts.”
Thank you to Western United Football Club for their ongoing support and commitment to Mercy Perinatal – without the support of dedicated sponsors, partners and donors Mercy Perinatal’s life-saving research and clinical trials would not be possible.
Follow this link to purchase a limited edition WUFC/Mercy Perinatal cap today – all proceeds go directly to supporting Mercy Perinatal!
Caps are on sale for $25 including postage and handling.
Last reviewed April 12, 2023.