8 January 2015
Your news from across the Archdiocese of Perth
Edition #13
Trustee of SJOG awarded Medal By Tracey Roberts OUTGOING Trustee of St John of God Health Care, Mr Don Good, was recently bestowed with the Benemerenti Medal by his Holiness Pope Francis for his service to the health care ministry in Australia over four decades. The Benemerenti Medal is a highly regarded honour awarded to clergy and laity by the Pope, in recognition of service to the Catholic Church. The medal was last month presented to Mr Good by Auxiliary Bishop for the Archdiocese of Perth and Chairman of Members of St John of God Australia Ltd, Rev Fr Don Sproxton, in the presence of special guests, including Sisters of St John of God - Srs Isobel Moran, Eugenia Brennan, Pat Doyle, Assumption Neary and Pauline O’Connor. Regional Leader of the Congregation of the Sisters of St John of God, Sr Isobel
Outgoing Trustee of St John of God Health Care, Mr Don Good, who was recently bestowed with the Benemerenti Medal, with Auxiliary Bishop Don Sproxton. PHOTO: SJOG
Moran said Mr Good is a man of integrity, trust and generosity. “He has been willing to share his wisdom and knowledge across the health care sector, as Governor and Director at Notre Dame, and in his roles at HESTA, where he served as a Director for 20 years, and as a highly respected Chairperson from
2005-2006,” Sr Moran said. “The Sisters regard him as an honourable ‘John of God’.” Former Apostolic Nuncio in Australia, Archbishop Paul Gallagher, extended his congratulations to Mr Good for the honour bestowed in recognition of long and faithful service to the Church and to society. A celebratory din-
ner at the UWA Club was attended by Mr Good’s wife Sue and their family. Other guests celebrating a lifetime of service among the guests were St John of God Health Care Chairman of Trustees Eva Skira, Board Chairman Tony Howarth and Group Chief Executive Officer Dr Michael Stanford.
10,000 babies born at St John of God Health Care in 2014 By Tracey Roberts ST JOHN OF GOD Health Care last month surpassed the 10,000 mark – with more than 10,000 babies born during 2014 at its hospitals for the first time. The statistics mirrored the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare’s findings EDITION #13 | 8 JANUARY 2015
- which were released at the end of December 2014 - that the birth rate in Australia is increasing. The Western Australianbased, private hospital operator has nine maternity units nationally, delivering an average of 30 babies a day. The final delivery rates for 2014 meant that more than
10,300 babies were born across the group of hospitals before the end of the year. 2012 figures showed that some 9,461 babies were delivered in St John of God Health Care hospitals - which means 2014 figures delivered an increase of around 10 per cent. To acknowledge the occasion,
all babies born at a St John of God Health Care hospital on Thursday, 8 December – the day the 10,000 milestone was achieved – were presented with a gift, in conjunction with celebrations in maternity wards around the country. In Western Australia, St John of God Health Care Continued on page 2