• Werribee, Hoppers Crossing, Point Cook Star

9th March 2010 11:05:28 AM

Jessie Broome. By Bridie Byrne

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SIX years ago a pregnant Jessie Broome was told her twins’ first breaths could be their last.

She was only 25 weeks into her pregnancy when she went into labour.

Jessie feared losing another baby after suffering a miscarriage two years earlier.

She pleaded with the doctors for a photographer to capture her twins’ last moments.

A photographer never came.

“By a miracle I ended up not having them that day and they went on to be perfectly healthy,” Jessie said.

“I wanted a photographer because they probably would not survive if they were born. They didn’t really stand a chance because they were so small.”

It inspired the young mum to co-found a free organisation that would take photos for families that have endured stillbirths, premature and ill infants, babies surviving in neonatal intensive care units and children with serious and terminal illnesses.

The self-taught photographer said this was a way to help families overcome their grief.

“A few of my friends had stillbirths,” Jessie said.

“One was encouraged not to take any photos of their daughter as the hospital thought it would be too traumatic to relive. To this day they still regret not having any images.”

The Australian Community of Child Photographers was set up in 2007 and has snapped photographs of more than 500 families.

The dedicated snappers are on call 24 hours to go out to hospitals and homes.

Jessie said the photo shoots were heartbreaking.

“They don’t have a lot of time with their children and it’s important, the work we do,” she said.

“It’s changed my perspective on being a parent. Every day is precious with them because you never know what could happen.”

The Point Cook mum, 28, now has four healthy children.

A photographic exhibition called Heartfelt will be held at Eckersley’s Open Space Gallery in Melbourne to showcase these moving pictures from 1 to 14 June.

To cover the show’s costs Jessie decided to sign up for a charity skydive from 14,000 feet, despite having a fear of heights.

She is set to take the plunge in the rural town of Nagambie on 21 March.

She wants to raise $2500 for the cause. For more information visit www.j-studios.com.au/blog/ or www.acocp.org.au

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