Rachel Stanfield-Porter
Koondrook &Kerang Ambassador
Rachel Stanfield-Porter founded the Bonnie Babes Foundation over 16 years ago after the loss of her first two sons and the birth of her first healthy son. Galvanised by her previous tragedies and the lack of support available, Rachel felt compelled to help other families struggling through the emotional pain that she felt after her loss.
Pregnant with her fourth son, Rachel established the Bonnie Babes Foundation from her lounge room and within six months the charity had a donated office and today the charity has branches across Australia, in the United States of America, New Zealand and the United Kingdom. Rachel has written a book called ‘Small Miracles’ which appeared on the front page of The Australian newspaper and sold out in the first three months of its release.
The Bonnie Babes Foundation counsels over 17,000 families each year and has raised millions of dollars for medical research and medical equipment. The Foundation is the only organisation of its type in Australia.
Rachel was instrumental in initiating the government’s federal Maternity Services Review and she resided on the forums which has now seen $5.1million dollars distributed to four charities including the Bonnie Babes Foundation for peer support and counselling services through the Pregnancy, Birth and Baby Helpline.
Medical research Rachel has helped fund has saved thousands of babies’ lives. Rachel was also Chairperson of the ISIS Foundation, presenting a cheque of one million dollars to Nelson Mandela for his children’s charity and she worked with Nelson on World Reconciliation Day.
Rachel has been acknowledged for her contribution by being one of four Victorian finalists in the 2009 Australian of the Year Awards, she appears in the Who’s Who of Australian Women, and she was recognised by the Lord Mayor receiving the Celebrating Melbourne Award and the 1999 Patch Adams Humanitarian Award.
Rachel appears in women’s magazines, newspapers, on television and radio around the world. Rachel is in high demand as a speaker, and she is considered one of Australia’s most iconic figures in the charitable and humanitarian fields.
Before her charitable work Rachel worked on the first bounce project helping to take the VFL to an AFL status. Rachel has run her own successful business and is highly respected in the corporate sector.