From One Mother to Another

Comfort at the Hardest Moments

What started as handmade gifts from mums who had experienced trauma in hospital has grown into something truly powerful.

From One Mother to Another was born from mothers’ own difficult hospital experiences—creating care packages to comfort parents sitting beside their child’s bed in paediatric wards.

Since becoming a formal charity, what once happened at kitchen tables now supports South Island hospitals with dedicated (and growing!) paid staff and volunteers.

Initially their care reached neo-natal and special care baby units. They now also support paediatric wards and mental health crisis units reaching mothers facing their own mental health challenges, meeting families where they are.

Around 8,000 care packs are delivered annually around 26 South Island Hospital wards including Timaru Hospital, with a strong focus on supporting families. Each pack includes simple essentials—snacks, toiletries, and small comforts—to help parents through long, unexpected hospital stays.

One Mum, Amy, said “For what was meant to be a short visit, I ended up in hospital almost a week. That cotton bag was an absolute lifesaver.”

For Renata, what began as a simple X-ray ended with her three-year-old son being diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia and admitted immediately.

“My world was crushed… A nurse came in with a one mother to another pack. This pack was everything to me. I was sitting there with nothing, and everything in this pack brought such comfort in the scariest of times as a mother.”

The Aoraki Foundation was pleased to be able to contribute $2,000 from the Miller Fund, to From One Mother to Another so they can continue offering comfort, dignity, and reassurance to families at Timaru Hospital when they need it most, reminding parents they are not alone.

From One Mother to Another with care packages ready to go to Hospital wards across the South Island