Research News: Circus intervention for preschoolers born extremely preterm awarded grant

CRE in Newborn Medicine PhD candidate, Free Coulston, has been awarded a Physiotherapy Research Foundation Seeding Grant of $10,000 for her study, “The Circus Project: Co-designing a circus intervention for preschoolers born extremely preterm.”

The Circus Project is contributing to the work of the Victorian Infant Collaborative Study and the CRE in Newborn Medicine in improving outcomes for preterm infants and their families. On receiving the grant, Free said she was grateful to be part of the efforts of the CRE in Newborn Medicine team, MCRI more broadly and the University of Melbourne, “Receiving this grant is such an honour, and I am humbled to be in the company of other CRE members who have received this grant in previous years. A huge thank you to my supervisors, and to the Physiotherapy Research Foundation for supporting our commitment to reducing barriers to access and participation for these children”. 

Free was also awarded a $1,000 University of Melbourne Creativity and Wellbeing Grant earlier in the year, to support the development and testing of her novel intervention.