A MESSAGE FROM BERNADETTE MCDONALD, CEO, THE ROYAL CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL

At The Royal Children’s Hospital (RCH), we are honoured and humbled by our community of supporters who go above and beyond to fundraise for us through the Good Friday Appeal.

Every year I am amazed by the result, and this year’s record-breaking $23,061,320 is no different - we know that recent times have proved challenging for a lot of people and we are deeply grateful for every dollar raised.

Our hospital has been through many changes over the past few years, but some crucial things have remained constant - our commitment to delivering the best patient and family-centred care, and the unwavering support of our community. The RCH holds a very special place in the hearts of generations of Victorians and for 92 years, they have helped us create one of the best children’s hospitals in the world through the Appeal.

This year, your generous donations will go towards brand new equipment and technology, including upgrades to 19 electrosurgical units. On average, we perform almost 13,000 surgeries every year and these new devices will ensure we have the best equipment in the world to support the work of our world leading surgeons.

Babies in our Newborn Intensive Care Unit will benefit from upgrades to the current RETCAM system used by our Ophthalmology department. Regular eye tests using the RETCAM play a pivotal role in how we monitor the extent of any retinal damage and help save the sight of our tiniest newborns.

And thanks to funds raised through this year’s Appeal, our patients will have access to our expanded Garden Program. Gardening has many benefits for our patients and will provide a fun, non-clinical activity that acts as an educational and therapeutic distraction from their treatment.

With the backing of the Good Friday Appeal and so many incredible Victorians, we can continue to benefit the lives of children and families everywhere. So, on behalf of our patients, families and staff, thank you for making the 2023 Good Friday Appeal our most successful yet and we look forward to achieving even greater things through your support.

Bernadette McDonald CEO, THE ROYAL CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL