Together we can make a difference for kids like Mahalia!
Together we can be the difference that really matters, and the difference that shapes a child's world.
Children’s Hospital Foundation funds cutting-edge equipment, vital research and on the ground support for kids with all illnesses, injuries and conditions.
We identify and action gaps in funding and support right across the kids’ health landscape – the places left lacking but no less deserving.
Across Queensland and into northern NSW, from the suburbs to the cities, rural, regional and remote, we help all kids not just some, the many not the few.
Here to be the difference every kid deserves
Your impact in numbers
Figures relate to FY 2021/22.
Thanks to you, we’re here to be the difference that makes it better, and the difference that makes them stronger.
The difference Tommy deserves
Seven-year-old Tommy from Cloncurry lives with hypophosphatasia – a rare genetic condition that causes abnormal development of the bones and teeth. His fight began at 28 weeks in-utero, when scans showed that bones which are ordinarily long were short and bowed and appeared to be fractured.
His official diagnosis came four months after he was born, after months of genetic testing and more than 200 days in the Paediatric Intensive Care Unit at Queensland Children’s Hospital. During this time, he was separated from his dad and older siblings, who remained home in Cloncurry.
His mum, Cindy, says while he will require life-long treatment, the family remain optimistic for his future.
“We hope that he can live as normal a life as possible. No one knows the outcome or length of Tommy’s journey, but we are confident as he has proven that he is a little battler who takes everything in his stride.
The Children’s Hospital Foundation has made life at Queensland Children’s Hospital a less stressful experience. Kidzone – the playroom run by the Foundation – is such a great experience and a breath of fresh air for parents that need a break for a coffee or adult time.
We have personal experience of what all parents need during the time their child is sick, and the Foundation provides that.”
You're fundraising will help create a future where gaps in funding grow smaller, not bigger, where more lives are saved, more lifetimes are made and world-class is for all, not just for some.
The difference Mahalia deserves.
At just 13 weeks old, Mahalia was diagnosed with a rare condition – Chromosome 22 microduplication syndrome. With this condition being a duplication of chromosomes rather than a deletion, there was very little information available. Doctors could not be sure exactly how it would affect Mahalia, as every presentation is different. Being so unpredictable, Mahalia’s family were told to take her health day-by-day, and so their journey into the unknown began.
Receiving endless treatments and therapies, and ongoing testing for new conditions is life for Mahalia. Her medical needs and behaviour issues are complex and shape day-to-day life for the family. Making any plans is difficult knowing her condition could flare and become an emergency in a matter of minutes.
Having spent majority of her life in the Queensland Children’s Hospital, many of Mahalia’s most precious milestones – some medical professionals never expected her to hit – have been reached within the wards and in Kidzone. Watched, encouraged and admired by nurses, doctors and the Children’s Hospital Foundation team, who are now considered extended family.
To ensure Mahalia is given the best chance to thrive, doctors will work through a list of possible sub diagnoses – selecting 5 to 6 conditions to test for each year. As she grows up, many of her health issues may remain a mystery, but her family are determined for her to live her best life.
Going to hospital is normal for Mahalia, but Kristie is thankful for the Foundation supporting and enhancing every visit. From cuddle carers when she was a baby to nutritious frozen meals following an emergency admission, volunteers at her bedside and play days in Kidzone, making Mahalia feel safe and comfortable in the hospital environment is a priority. Kristie knows the Foundation is with her every step of the way.
fundraise@childrens.org.au
07 3606 6100
