The Birthing Kit Foundation Australia (BKFA) is delighted to welcome Australian actress and mother-of-five Teresa Palmer as a Patron, joining our mission to make birth safer for mothers everywhere.

Adelaide-born, Teresa has built an international career across film and television, with roles in major productions including Hacksaw Ridge, Warm Bodies and Lights Out, as well as the television series A Discovery of Witches.

Her support comes at a powerful moment for BKFA. As we celebrate our 20th year, the Foundation has grown from a grassroots volunteer effort in South Australia into one of the world’s largest distributors of clean birth kits, reaching women in more than 30 countries and delivering 3 million kits along the way.

In accepting the role, Teresa said: “As a mother of five, I know intimately just how vulnerable childbirth can be.

“I’m proud to support the Birthing Kit Foundation Australia in their mission to improve maternal and newborn health worldwide. I’m inspired by the way this organisation fosters both local and global community, bringing people together to pack simple kits that make a life-saving difference for mothers and babies who need them most.

“I’m honoured to serve as a patron alongside the incredible team making this vital work possible.”

BKFA Co-Founder and Director, Dr Julie Monis-Ivett OAM, said Teresa’s support would help shine a light on the risks too many women still face during childbirth around the world.

“Teresa’s generosity in accepting this role means a great deal to our Foundation, especially as we mark 20 years of helping women when they need it most,” Dr Monis-Ivett said.

“Too many women still give birth without access to the most basic supplies. Our kits are simple, but they can mean the difference between life and death for a mother and her baby.”

Each Clean Birth Kit contains six essential items – gloves, soap, plastic sheeting, cord ties, a blade and gauze. The kits are packed by volunteers in Australia and overseas, then distributed through trusted field partners in countries including Uganda, Ethiopia, DR Congo and Papua New Guinea. They reach women in remote and low-resource communities where access to basic clean supplies during childbirth is often limited.

To help make birth safer for women and babies, find out more about hosting an Assembly Day.