Nan Witcomb was a well-loved friend of many in the WCH Foundation community. After passing away in November 2023 at the age of 95, Nan’s special connection and legacy of compassion – which started as a nurse trainee at the then Adelaide Children’s Hospital – will live on through a special gift left in her Will. 

Nancy “Nan” Witcomb, born on 27 May 1928 in Adelaide, captivated hearts through her diverse endeavours, shaping her identity as a poet and storyteller under the pseudonym “Nanushka”.

Nan’s lifelong connection with our Women’s and Children’s Hospital began after leaving the workforce at the Bank of Adelaide to pursue her passion for caring for others. She commenced her training as a nurse at the Adelaide Children’s Hospital and was later recognized with a Silver Cross medal for her dedication to nursing.

It has been said she loved her role as a children’s nurse, however her best friend Heather contracted polio. Whilst Nan cared for her until she passed, Nan felt she could no longer stay in nursing.

Nan’s life was marked by remarkable achievements and experiences. She was the sole woman on a flight to the atomic test area at Maralinga in 1956, the first woman interviewed on live TV in South Australia, and a writer for various comedy shows. Nan’s memoir, Up Here and Down There, chronicled her adventures as a senior regional hostess for Australian National Airlines (Ansett Australia), where she embarked on a 23-year career.

In the 1970s, Nan self-published her poetry and her work The Thoughts of Nanushka, which saw her gaining friends and fans worldwide. Her poem To Mourn Too Long for Those We Love resonated deeply, even being read at the funeral of INXS lead singer Michael Hutchence. Nan also ventured into radio hosting, captivating audiences with her warmth and wit on Adelaide AM station 5DN Cruise 1323.

Throughout her life, Nan’s bond with our Hospital remained as a regular attendee at many of our events with past nurses and other WCH Foundation donors. It is a special honour to now remember Nan and her legacy of compassion and support for others, knowing this spirit will live on through her wonderful Will gift.

To find out more about leaving a gift to the WCH Foundation in your Will, visit our bequest page.

learn more about the nursing history of the Hospital

When our Research and Arts in Health Programs collide, wonderful things happen!

The Matthew Scriver Paediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) Nurses Scholarship was established by Matthew’s parents after his passing following a lengthy stay in PICU. The scholarship supports a nurse working in PICU to undertake a project focused on the holistic care of patients and their families.

PICU clinical nurse, Melissa Thompson, was awarded the scholarship in 2022, and explored complementary therapies, such as art therapy and music, to ease stress, anxiety and pain, and promote a sense of calm in the busy PICU environment.

As a result of Melissa’s work, our Music for Wellness program has now been extended into PICU, with harpist Ilona Weir performing weekly. Parents have expressed how Ilona’s harp music creates a calming space for the patients and families in this challenging environment.

Ilona playing to a family in PICU.

Ilona says, “The gentle sounds of the harp can help to provide a calmer atmosphere in a busy and stressful environment. Studies have shown that the use of music in intensive care units can decrease anxiety in patients, and it can also help to reduce stress for families and staff.”

“Both parents and staff have commented that the music is very soothing, and that it helps to keep them calm.”

Melissa says, “I am so grateful to the Scriver family and the Women’s & Children’s Hospital Foundation for supporting me to undertake this important project work.”

“Witnessing the positive effect Ilona’s music is having on the patients, families, and staff in PICU is incredible. Having something this good come from my project work is definitely the highlight of my nursing career.”

The Scriver family with Melissa Thompson.

We are so proud to be able to make such positive changes to the care of patients and families at the WCH, and that our Research and Arts in Health Programs can achieve these outcomes.

You may have heard of the various health benefits of Omega 3s, the fatty acids commonly found in fish, such as better heart health and a lower risk of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. But did you know that a particular Omega 3 given to preterm babies may actually make them smarter?

Docosahexaenoic acid, or DHA, is essential for brain development. Babies ordinarily receive DHA from their mother while in utero, but for babies born prematurely, this supply of DHA is cut off early.

Preterm babies receive some DHA through breastmilk and formula, but less than they would normally receive through the placenta – meaning that these babies may be lacking an important nutrient at a time of rapid brain development.

Researchers set out to determine if supplementing these tiny babies with DHA to the same amount they would have received in utero would lead to better developmental outcomes, such as a higher IQ and fewer behavioural problems.

Supported by a Women’s & Children’s Hospital Foundation research grant, along with funding from the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC), Dr Jacqueline Gould of the South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute (SAHMRI) Women and Kids theme led the study.

The study involved infants born at less than 29 weeks gestational age at the Women’s and Children’s Hospital, and nine other Australian hospitals with neonatal units. Half of the babies were randomised to receive DHA supplementation and half received a placebo as part of a trial exploring the effect of DHA on lung health. Families were followed up when the babies turned five years of age to undergo IQ testing and have parents complete a survey of behavioural and emotional functioning and child health.

Dr Jacqueline Gould.

Dr Gould says, “More than half of infants born extremely preterm have some form of neurobehavioural disability, such as a behavioural problem or learning disorder.”

“The goal of our research was to test if supplementing these children with DHA after they’re born can make up for some of what they lacked due to preterm birth and boost brain development.”

They found that the babies who received DHA supplementation were behaviourally no different to those who did not at five years of age, although they did have a slightly higher IQ (a mean difference of 3.5 points). They also showed that the babies who received DHA did not have any difference in long-term respiratory or other health problems, providing some reassurance that supplementing babies may be safe.

Findings have been published in high ranking medical journals, the New England Journal of Medicine and JAMA Pediatrics.

Future research will aim to confirm the safety of DHA supplementation before it is recommended as a standard treatment for preterm babies.

Dr Gould says, “Thanks to the support of the WCH Foundation, we were able to assess the long-term effects of the DHA supplementation on the behaviour and health of the preterm children born in Australia.”

“Importantly, WCH Foundation funding allowed us to involve families that were not eligible for the IQ assessment, or who were unable to attend an IQ assessment due to COVID restrictions.”

Learn more about the medical research we fund

The Allied Health Hand Therapy clinics at the Women’s and Children’s Hospital provide a comprehensive service to paediatric patients of all ages. Over 150 patients can be seen by this team a month.

A common practice during these clinics is fitting a splint for patients, and we have purchased some new equipment to assist with this.

Occupational Therapy Manager, Sue Van De Loo, explains, “Children come in varying sizes and shapes, and it is very rare for them to fit standard off-the-shelf hand splints to support and protect their hands and fingers with fractures, tendon repairs and/or complex hand surgery.”

“Paediatric patients require custom-made hand splints, made by expert paediatric hand therapists. The hand splints are tailor-made to each individual and specifically positioned to maximise recovery and hand function.”

“The thermoplastic product used to make the splints can be heated in a heat pan and molded to each individual child, giving them a lightweight removable splint to protect their congenital hand anomaly, injury or hand surgery.”

“The alternative is a cumbersome and often heavy plaster or back slab that may not meet the correct finger or hand positioning requirements requested by their doctor or surgeon.”

Warming up the material in the new splint pan.

One of the two heat pans used on a daily basis to make these splints suddenly ceased working, and was unable to be repaired, leaving the team with only one functioning pan.

Having the use of only one dedicated splint pan in the busy clinics would be a safety risk, with multiple therapists trying to access it at the same time.

The team were concerned that the remaining pan could cease working as well, meaning that they would have to reduce their clinical services.

To fix this, we funded the purchase of two new splint pans for the hand therapy clinic.

Senior Hand Therapist, Vanessa Timbrell, fitting the splint to patient Sophia’s arm.

Providing these new heat pans in a timely manner has meant that patients have had shorter wait times and that the team have experienced improved patient flow.

The new pan models also have many extra benefits. They’re larger, enabling larger splints for teenagers to be made more efficiently, have improved infection control and have improved safety features, including a hinged lid and auto shut, which reduces the risk of scalds as well as the fire risk.

The Paediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) now has the latest technology in humidifiers to help patients’ airways and lungs function as best they can.

Baby Freyja was flown down with her family from the Northern Territory for treatment at the Women’s and Children’s Hospital. She has a congenital condition and is being cared for in PICU.

Having a humidifier to use greatly improves her care whilst on a ventilator.

One of the new PICU humidifiers.

Jennifer Hurn, Equipment and Transport Facilitator Nurse Consultant in PICU, explains, “Humidification of oxygen and air helps to maintain the normal functions of the airways in the lungs.”

“The humidifiers basically replace the function of the nose by warming and humidifying the air that we breathe in.”

“PICU uses humidifiers for all patients who require a breathing tube and ventilator and those who require increased oxygen at high flow rates. These new humidifiers that were kindly donated by the Women’s & Children’s Hospital Foundation are the latest release model by Fisher & Paykel and come with newly designed circuits and functions.”

Freyja in PICU using a humidifier.

There are lots of advantages to the new systems. There is less condensation in the circuits, they are touch screen, they have more intuitive alarms with troubleshooting advice, and they last longer which reduces waste and costs.

Jennifer says, “Thank you for helping us provide the best care for the patients in PICU. We are so grateful.”

Catching COVID-19 or the flu is never fun – but it’s even worse when symptoms persist. While we know a lot about the acute effects of COVID-19 and influenza, we have less understanding of the long-term consequences, especially in children and adolescents.

Dr Mark McMillan, a Women’s & Children’s Hospital Foundation Postdoctoral Fellow at the University of Adelaide and Women’s and Children’s Hospital, hopes to change that by investigating the long-term effects of respiratory infections like COVID-19 and the flu in children and adolescents.

The rise in COVID-19 cases around Christmas, and a 2023 flu season on par with pre-pandemic levels, reminds us that these infectious diseases are out in force. We are increasingly aware of the persistent symptoms that can follow a COVID-19 infection, often called long COVID. The World Health Organization defines long COVID as symptoms that start after the initial infection and persist for at least two months, without an alternative diagnosis. Long COVID can occur in people of any age, including children and adolescents, and can include a wide range of symptoms such as fatigue, brain fog and shortness of breath. While the flu can also lead to long-term conditions in adults, its impact on younger populations is unclear.

Dr McMillan says, “In Australia, there is no comprehensive system for gathering data on long COVID in children, which is crucial for informing clinical management and shaping vaccine guidelines.”

This gap in data is particularly concerning given that long COVID can affect children’s learning and overall quality of life during their critical developmental years.

Dr McMillan will begin recruiting for the ‘Children and Adolescents: Respiratory Infection and Long-Term Effects (CARE) Study’ in early 2024. He will be contacting parents of children and adolescents aged up to 17 years who have recently had a COVID-19 or an influenza infection to take part. Participants will complete an initial online survey about their infection, and follow-up surveys over the course of 12 months about any ongoing symptoms and how they may be impacting on health and quality of life. The information collected will provide vital evidence to inform better management and treatment of the long-term effects of COVID-19 and influenza in children and adolescents in the future.

This research is made possible through the generosity of WCH Foundation supporters. If you would like to help improve the health and lives of women, children and families in South Australia, donate to support WCH Foundation research today.

At the beginning of 2023, the WCH Foundation Cocoon Program was launched at the Women’s and Children’s Hospital. A year on, more than 65 babies have been cared for by the Cocoon team, reducing the burden of regular hospital visits and enhancing patient experience.

The Cocoon Program provides specialist, coordinated care for some of South Australia’s most vulnerable babies – those under 12 months old who are medically vulnerable and either in foster care or at risk of entering it.

This is about more than providing general healthcare. It aims to meet the emotional, physical, and mental health needs of these vulnerable babies in one place, streamlining their care during their crucial first year.

For many caregivers, trying to navigate and access the support a baby may need can be complex and challenging. Not to mention attending multiple appointments with various health professionals, ensuring everyone is aware of the baby’s history so that their health and developmental needs are identified and met as soon as possible.

But now, thanks to the Cocoon Program, these caregivers can bring in their baby to be seen by a team of highly skilled health professionals, consisting of a neonatal paediatrician, general paediatrician, social worker, physiotherapist and a mental health clinician, and can be connected to any additional external agencies, such as disability services, to make care as seamless as possible.

A child and mother representing Cocoon Program consumers with Malithi Hauser, Cocoon Program Paediatrician. 

A year of difference

The demand for this program has exceeded expectations. With an ongoing caseload, the work is far from done.

The results have been encouraging so far. Dr Amy Keir says the team has uncovered a much greater unmet need for these young babes than they had originally anticipated.

She says, “Now that we’ve got more babies and more families in the program, we’ve got a better idea that most of those babies we see do have health and developmental challenges.”

“We’re also able to work with the foster families or kinship carers much earlier to understand the different needs that a baby might have.”

Families representing Cocoon Program consumers with Kirstie Morgan, Cocoon Program Physiotherapist. 

Support for caregivers

Feedback from caregivers during this first year has been incredibly positive. We have received great responses about how simple and seamless it has become to access the support they need for an infant under their temporary or long-term care.

Kate* is a caregiver who has accessed the Cocoon Program for a number of babies since its inception. She and her partner receive babies as newborns, and usually have them under their care until they are six to seven months old.

These babies can be referred to the Cocoon Program for a number of reasons – feeding issues, failure to thrive, general developmental concerns, lack of hitting milestones or anything of this nature.

Kate and her partner have been fostering since 2012, and they have noticed a great difference in care since the Cocoon Program was implemented.

Kate says, “There is this level of continuity and consistency. Somebody is holding the entire case, which feels different.”

“I have access to a specialised and diverse team who can support the job I am doing, so that together we can achieve better outcomes for our vulnerable children.”

Carers like Kate visit the Cocoon Program every few months with the babies under their care and see everyone they need to on one day rather than visiting various clinicians on different days, reducing their time spent at hospital.

She says, “I think that it’s really important for our children who are in our care to be able to have access to this kind of speedy response to get the help that they need.”

Kate says the Cocoon Program has allowed her to no longer feel as though she is just a “temporary” carer, but instead a very important piece in a child’s early development.

She says, “I feel valued, I feel respected, I feel heard, I feel supported.”

Because of this, the Cocoon Program also allows carers to feel empowered to advocate for the children in their care so that they can receive the right care in a timely manner.

Kate says, “Being able to work with the team increases your awareness of things as a carer, so that when you get another baby, you have the confidence to say, ‘Wait, this isn’t normal,’ and talk to the right people to get a speedy response.”

A child and mother representing Cocoon Program consumers.

Hospitals United for Sick Kids

The WCH Foundation has committed over $1 million to the Cocoon Program over three years.

Funds raised through the sale of Coles ‘Mum’s Sause’ products and donation cards, as part of the Hospitals United for Sick Kids (Hospitals United) initiative, make a significant contribution to the Cocoon Program’s cost.

Hospitals United helps kids get home from hospital sooner, and back to the things they love.

*Please note that while names and images have been changed for privacy, this situation is very real and reflects how important your generosity is for supporting brilliant care for vulnerable babies.

Late last year, the Child and Family Health Service (CaFHS) started providing 12-month health and development checks for all children from birth to five years of age, living in South Australia.

The 12-month checks involve weighing and measuring the child, a complete physical check and a development assessment that looks at their milestones. It focuses on eating and drinking, sleep and settling support, child safety, immunisations and the whole family’s wellbeing. Families also learn about parenting and community supports, playgroups, the importance of play and development, learning to talk, healthy teeth, toddler behaviour and toilet training.

Annie Lawless, Acting Co-Director, CaFHS, says, “A child turning 12 months old is an important milestone for every parent, and it’s important to check that your child is growing and developing as they should.”

“We know that our free health and development checks can help put parents’ minds at ease, especially as they start crawling, walking and talking.”

L: Mum, Chelsea with daughter, Daisy at her 12-month health and development check and R: Olive at her 12-month health and development check.

To celebrate the introduction of the 12-month health and development checks, the first 5,000 children to undergo this check will receive a book to take home!

‘The Hip Hop Barn’ is an engaging book about what animals get up to at night when the farmers are asleep. It helps children learn about rhyme and rhythm, while also encouraging movement with dancing.

In partnership with Raising Literacy Australia, we also funded the creation of a booklet containing tips for parents and caregivers, an activity sheet and a bookmark.

Mum, Beck, with daughter, Cali at her 12-month health and development check.

It is hoped that this incentive encourages language development and improves parent efficacy in reading with their baby, as well as increase the rate of attendance for these new checks.

Lynne Kurtzer, Co-Director, CaFHS, says, “We’re excited to give every child who attends a 12-month health and development check their own take-home copy of ‘The Hip Hop Barn’ book.”

“Thanks to the incredible support of the Women’s & Children’s Hospital Foundation, we are helping a child to find their love of reading and encouraging parents to connect with their children through books. It’s very special to see.”

Families at Helen Mayo House (HMH) now have a range of new play equipment to help strengthen bonds with their babies.

HMH is an inpatient facility for new parents experiencing significant mental health problems.

There are three important aspects of care at HMH: supporting parents during perinatal mental health crisis, supporting the ongoing growth and development of baby while their parent is receiving treatment for their mental health, and supporting the bond and relationship between parent and baby during this time.

When parents come to HMH, they can lack confidence in their ability to parent and feel isolated from family and the general community. Their baby’s development can be at risk of being delayed due to not receiving the expected interaction from their parent. There can also be a disconnect between parent and baby, leaving baby’s need for healthy attachment unfilled, which can lead to long-lasting issues, and sometimes contributes to intergenerational trauma.

Newly purchased equipment will promote positive parent-baby interaction and encourage play in group and one-on-one therapy programs, supporting families in the following ways:

• Board books with rhyming, simple repetitive stories and Aboriginal stories for language development, relationship building and connection to culture
• Climbing/play equipment for baby’s physical development, confidence building and circle of security practice
• Yoga equipment for self-care, physical fitness and improved mental health
• Musical instruments for playing music together, learning and emotional regulation
• Feeding equipment for transition to feeding solids, building parent confidence and safe feeding education
• Messy play equipment for exploring senses, learning, emotional regulation and relationship-building

Leanne Norman with a selection of the equipment purchased for HMH.

Leanne Norman is a peer specialist at HMH. She has her own lived experience of postnatal depression and has been able to share this with families to support them during their admission.

She says, “This equipment will allow us to meet families’ needs by increasing our existing group program.”

“Mums will benefit from improved relationships with their babies, building confidence in their parenting ability and skills, greater education and learning about parenting and responding to babies needs and improved mental health.”

“Babies will develop through play and learning, as well as improved relationships and secure attachments with mum.”

The generous support of BIG W staff and customers across South Australia has made this possible.

Funds raised through the 2023 BIG W Christmas token campaign are now supporting families at Helen Mayo House with these new toys, as well as the introduction of a dance-movement therapy program.

Learn more about our corporate partnerships 

Tamina Burns was the first patient in Australia to receive a new life-changing surgery. Her mum, Pam, is now giving back as her way of saying thanks.

When Tamina was 13, back in the 1980s, Pam made the decision to bring her from their home in Cairns to the Adelaide Children’s Hospital (as it was then known) for treatment of her Ewing’s Sarcoma.

By coincidence, a doctor had recently returned to Adelaide from the US where he had learnt a new treatment for this kind of tumour that had never before been performed in Australia – an allograft.

The surgery was a great success and meant that Tamina’s leg was able to be saved, instead of being amputated as Pam had seen happen to other children with Tamina’s diagnosis.

 “We were in the right place at the right time,” Pam says.

After various other surgeries and treatments, Tamina was cancer-free.

Part of the team who looked after Tamina Burns. L-R: Dr Ian Toogood, Tamina, Dr Bruce Foster, Dr Oakeshott and Dr Callio.

Brilliant care and life-long friends

The family spent ten months in Adelaide being cared for at the Hospital, and made some beautiful connections during that time.

One nurse, Doris Henderson, has been a particularly large part of their lives.

“She was so good to us,” Pam says.

“When she was on night shift, she’d bring in cards and sit there next to me.”

“When Tamina was well enough to do so, Doris would take her out to the nurses station to ‘help’ out!”

“I remain friends with her. We are still in touch. We’ve been on holidays together. She’s stayed here with me, and I’ve stayed with her in Adelaide.”

Tamina with nurses, Lisa and Doris.

Creating a legacy

Sadly, Tamina’s cancer returned later in life, and she passed away in her 20s after the birth of her own child, Jazmine.

Pam expresses immense gratitude for all the healthcare workers who looked after Tamina throughout her life.

Recently, she made the decision to give back by leaving a gift in her Will to the Women’s & Children’s Hospital Foundation, creating a beautiful legacy for not only herself, but also Tamina.

Her friend, Doris, is a member of our Golden Hearts Bequest Society and helped her get in touch with our Bequest team to arrange this.

Pam says, “I recently changed my Will and I wanted to give money to charity. The Women’s and Children’s Hospital was one place that straightaway, without even thinking about it, I knew I wanted to leave money to.”

“I can’t speak any more highly of the Hospital. It completely changed my world. It was such a traumatic time, but we couldn’t have been in better hands.”

Tamina with Dr Toogood, two years after her initial treatment at the Hospital.

Gifts in Wills

For a confidential discussion about leaving a gift in your Will, or to request wording for your solicitor, click here.

Tamina and her sister Alicia playing pianola with Doris and Pam.