AMBA launches annual Multiple Birth Awareness Week to raise awareness of the social and emotional impacts on multiple birth children from not focusing on the individual.
The Australian Multiple Birth Association (AMBA) today announced the theme for this year’s Multiple Birth Awareness Week (MBAW), running from 12‐19th March 2017. The annual week‐long event centres around running community events to raise awareness of the important work done by AMBA and local clubs around Australia in providing vital support to multiple birth families. In 2017, AMBA is focusing on raising awareness around the individuality of multiples; that even though they share a special bond as multiples, they are still unique individuals.
The theme for 2017 is "Born a multiple; also an individual"
Sunday 12 March to Sunday 19 March 2017
So often from the moment multiples are born, they are labelled "the twins” or “the triplets” or "the quads" etc. . Whether born an identical or non‐identical, we see multiples being consistently labelled and treated as having the same thoughts, preferences and personalities as their siblings. This labelling is very unusual in non multiple birth families.
AMBA Chairperson, Ashlee Tenberge said: “MBAW 2017 celebrates that all multiples are unique and have their own individual personalities. A connection between multiples will never be broken, however it is critical for family and friends to understand the important role they can play in fostering individuality. For some multiples, there is not much that connects them aside from sharing a birthday! For others, they live and breathe life together. Neither scenario is wrong or right, but the opportunity must be available for multiples to choose their own path.”
