Bridging the gaps: Good Friday Appeal’s reach into regional hospitals

The Good Friday Appeal traces its roots to dedicated founding members: Dave McNamara, a notable footballer; JJ Maher, sports editor of the Sporting Globe; George Sparrow, a well-known football player; and Wallace Sharland, a Sporting Globe journalist.

Together, they laid the groundwork for the Good Friday Appeal by exemplifying their commitment to children’s healthcare.

Reporting on the event at the time, Sporting Globe journalist and event organiser Mr Sharland noted in an article:

“An old footballer said the other day: Every kiddy is entitled to get a fair start in this world, which is why thousands will patronise the carnival this year.”

Now, in its 93rd year, history has proven them right.

Drawing in a cheerful crowd of 20,000 spectators, the inaugural sports event raised a substantial total of £427 in its first year ($8135.44 in today’s money).

The organisers decided to make it an annual occurrence and began a tradition that has stood the test of time.

The continued existence of the appeal is a testament to the unwavering support it receives from fundraisers, volunteers, supporters and donors.

While the delivery of the appeal has evolved over the years, gaining incredible traction and popularity, its fundamental goal has always remained the same – to ensure the hospital continues to provide world-class care for children across Victoria and beyond.

This year, the Good Friday Appeal is extending its funding to support five regional paediatric health services: Barwon Health, Bendigo Health, GV Health, Grampians Health and Latrobe Regional Health.

To meet increasing demand, the incoming funding is poised to revolutionise paediatric healthcare in the Goulburn Valley, equipping GV Health with state-of-the-art respiratory support tools and facilitating community-based treatment for children in need.

This funding will also back four nursing scholarships, establish two part-time nurse positions in the emergency department, and improve Hospital in the Home care capacity, optimising both at-home treatment for children and bed utilisation.

“Thank you to the incredible Good Friday Appeal community for supporting sick kids at the Royal Children’s Hospital for the past 93 years,” Good Friday Appeal chair Penny Fowler said.

“For the first time in our history, we are thrilled to be using a portion of the Good Friday Appeal funds to take the RCH excellence into the regions to help kids receive care closer to home and build capability and capacity of paediatric health services across the state.”

Ava Rees, from Numurkah, will benefit from the funding.

Ava is in Year 1 and has been a patient at the Royal Children’s Hospital all her life.

She was born with a genetic condition called maple syrup urine disease, a rare disorder that affects one in 150,000 children.

Maple syrup disease gets its name from a distinctive symptom: individuals with this condition may have urine that smells sweet, resembling maple syrup, especially during a flare-up.

This disorder arises from a metabolic issue, specifically a deficiency in enzymes responsible for breaking down certain amino acids. As a result, these chemicals can accumulate in the bloodstream. If left untreated, maple syrup disease can progress to seizures, coma and, ultimately, death.

Because of her disease, Ava must follow a strict low-protein diet for life: no meat, no dairy and limited gluten.

Even though Ava loves chocolate, she can’t have more than a small bite at a time. Otherwise, the consequences could lead to permanent brain damage.

The disease was detected by a routine heel prick test when Ava was a newborn.

Her mother, Tammie Rees, was told to rush Ava into Shepparton Hospital’s emergency department, from where she was flown to the Royal Children’s Hospital.

“The diagnosis was horrible; the first 12 months was horrible,” Mrs Rees said.

“She has to be a very strict low-protein diet, or she can get brain damage.

“Absolute worst case, if she went off the diet, she’d be very ill and end up in a coma.”

From early on, Ava had to learn to say, “I can’t have that because it will hurt my brain”.

Ava needs to have a weekly finger-prick blood test to check her amino acids. Her diet is then adjusted accordingly.

However, sending the sample to the Royal Children’s Hospital means it takes a week to get the results.

The Good Friday Appeal’s funding expansion to regional hospitals would allow Ava’s blood samples to be tested and monitored locally and would mean fewer trips to Melbourne.

“If we can get results the same day, it would mean we could potentially play around with her diet,” Mrs Rees said.

“But we can’t risk that now.”

Since its inception in 1931, the Good Friday Appeal has raised $444,928,623.

Regardless of its size, every contribution profoundly influences the Royal Children’s Hospital, enabling it to excel as a leading healthcare institution, deliver exceptional care, and maintain its position as a global leader among children’s hospitals.

Most importantly, collective support also ensures that the hospital can continue to commit to children’s wellbeing, enabling children such as Ava to lead a healthy life, staying close to family during treatment, and ultimately aiding them in realising their full potential.

Whether you aspire to organise fundraising events, volunteer your time, show your support or donate, the appeal offers diverse opportunities for everyone eager to be part of this meaningful cause.

To kickstart your involvement, visit www.goodfridayappeal.com.au and explore the activities that align with your interests and capabilities.