Dina Hediger, founder of parent organisation Frühchen Schweiz (Preemies Switzerland) and mother of preterm twins, shared her personal experience with RSV, highlighting the challenges of caring for her children who contracted the virus at 1.5 years old, with one requiring intensive care.
Ms Hediger emphasised the importance of providing more information about RSV to parents during their NICU stays, particularly through factsheets and other educational materials. She also advocated for incorporating personal stories from affected families into public health initiatives and research projects on RSV, as these real-life experiences can provide valuable insights and help shape better support systems for families facing the virus. Ms Hediger further stressed the need for preterm and vulnerable babies to receive RSV prophylaxis for two winters, as opposed to just one, to reduce the risk of severe illness. Her experience navigating the healthcare system to secure this protection highlighted the critical need for improved access to RSV prevention and early intervention for at-risk infants.