On Wednesday 11 November 2026, the Luxembourg non-profit association Sou Kleng Sou Stark, founded by parents and healthcare professionals, outlined its mission and first initiatives ahead of World Prematurity Day on Sunday 15 November 2026.

According to the association, whose name means "so small, so strong" in Luxembourgish, approximately 500 newborn babies receive neonatal care each year in Luxembourg at the Centre Hospitalier de Luxembourg (CHL)'s Kannerklinik or Clinique Bohler (Hôpitaux Robert Schuman). Around 7.1% of babies are born before 37 weeks of pregnancy, while 1.2% arrive before 32 weeks. In most cases, the cause of premature birth remains unknown.

Sou Kleng Sou Stark aims to improve the daily lives of hospitalised children and their parents, connect families and represent their interests. Its planned initiatives include making hospital rooms more comfortable, providing hotel accommodation near hospitals for families who live far away, offering training for healthcare teams and organising meetings between families.

Mélissa, whose daughter Léonie was born at 27 weeks weighing 1,020 g, described the challenges faced by parents of premature babies: "No one other than the parent of a premature baby knows how difficult it is to watch their child fight for their life."

Marie-Rébecca, whose daughter Catalina was born at 28 weeks weighing 1,100 g and spent 78 days in neonatal care, also shared her experience: "After four years of medically assisted reproduction, I thought I had learned resilience. Then my daughter was born and spent 78 days in neonatal care. In the end, she was the one who taught me the greatest lesson in resilience. She was so small, yet so strong."

First initiatives

The association plans to work with policymakers on maternity and paternity leave arrangements that take into account the particular circumstances of premature birth. It noted that premature babies may spend several weeks or even months in neonatal care and can remain vulnerable after leaving hospital.

To support this work, Sou Kleng Sou Stark is collecting testimonies and looking for families willing to share their experiences.

The association also intends to provide parents and healthcare professionals with clear information about premature birth, hospitalisation in neonatal and paediatric intensive care units, and the medical procedures carried out in these departments. It aims to offer support to families when needed.

For further information and contact details, visit soukleng.lu.