Page 3902 - Week 13 - Tuesday, 29 October 2013
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video
The foundation is also funding valuable new facilities and spaces for patients and families to create less clinical environments and support them during their time in hospital. Two weeks ago I joined with the board of the Canberra Hospital Foundation and a number of the major donors to thank them for their contributions to the ongoing success of a foundation which is only in its second year.
The $1.65 million raised last financial year was a doubling of the year before. Thousands of Canberrans have given generously to the hospital through the foundation, particularly through a number of highly successful fundraising events—for example, “give me 5 for kids”, which fundraised $108,000, and the Woolworths barbecues which are held weekly at the Canberra Hospital. Once a week you can go out there and see Woolworths on the karaoke machine, singing and selling sausage sandwiches, fruit salad and finger buns. They are there every week of the year rain, hail or shine, winter and summer. They raised $180,000. The brick expo raised $45,000, Richard Luton Properties raised $84,000 and Dry July raised $115,000.
I would also like to acknowledge those who have made large donations, including a pledge of $1 million from Mrs Liangis. Her contribution has enabled the creation of a new reflective garden at the Centenary Hospital for Women and Children—a special place of calm for families. She is very modest about her generous contribution to the hospital, but it is very good that we are able to acknowledge that in the Assembly today. I would also like to acknowledge the work of the board chair, Deb Rolfe, who took over from John de la Torre. She is a human dynamo in the work that she puts into that foundation. I am really pleased to see it becoming so successful.
A real key objective of mine was that, instead of having the Sydney Children’s Hospital and all the out of town hospitals fundraising in the ACT and raising a lot of money—all for good causes—we would establish a foundation that would earn the respect of the community and see big donations come and stay in our public health system. We are seeing exactly that happen. It is really because of the staff of the Canberra Hospital Foundation, who have driven it from the beginning, the board and all the volunteers that sit on that board. It is because of all the work that they put in and, of course, all of the organisations who have helped raise such an amazing amount of money to support the work of the hospital.
MADAM SPEAKER: A supplementary question, Dr Bourke.
DR BOURKE: Minister, how is the money raised used to improve the hospital experience for patients and their families?
MS GALLAGHER: The money funds valuable projects in both clinical and non-clinical areas. The foundation works with the hospital staff to identify the projects that will make a real difference right across the hospital.
Some of the new projects include the establishment of a therapeutic harpist, Alison Ware, whose music provides comfort to cancer patients and their families. The Canberra Hospital is leading the way in this type of therapy. I have not seen Alison
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video