Teenage patients undergoing cancer treatment at the Women’s and Children’s Hospital now have an upgraded activity space within the Michael Rice Centre Adolescent Room.

The Women’s and Children’s Health Network physiotherapy team explains, “Children and adolescents diagnosed with cancer can experience negative physiological and psychosocial impacts directly related to their diagnosis and its treatment, which can impair their quality of life.”

“Access to additional therapies such as physical activity, exercise, music and Play Therapy are vitally important for children whilst undergoing traditional cancer treatments.”

Without dedicated space and equipment for exercise previously, maintaining physical activity was a challenge for patients.

The updated Michael Rice Centre Adolescent Room.

The physiotherapy team says, “We sought funding to redesign the room in order to increase usability in a more contemporary model, as well as optimising opportunities for physical activity, music and play.”

In its previous form, the room was under-utilised because it lacked a defined purpose and appropriate equipment.

Now, a functional, contemporary area has been created in which therapy can thrive and adolescent consumers can regain practical ownership. It is set out in three zones – a music zone, entertainment zone and sports zone.

It is hoped that these updates will support the care of patients undergoing cancer treatment.

The team says, “There is a growing body of research evidence to support the role of physical activity in the reduction of the adverse effects of cancer treatment. Paediatric studies demonstrate the beneficial effects of physical activity during and after cancer treatment.”

“Improvement in cardiovascular fitness, fatigue levels, response to treatment and quality of life have all been shown to occur in patients undertaking physical activity programs.”

“Maintaining physical activity has also been directly linked to improvement in anxiety and depressive symptoms, improved functional outcomes and reduction in fatigue.”

Learn more about our equipment and facility upgrades

During the months of July and August, the WCH Foundation was delighted to host a series of reunion lunches (see photos below) as an opportunity to share our newly created Nurses Roll Call digital book with all those who participated in our Nurses Roll Call.

Until the late 1980s, nurses could undertake hospital-based training at the Adelaide Children’s Hospital (as it was then known). For the vast majority of nurses, this involved up to three and a half years of training and living onsite in the nurses home.

In April 2022, the WCH Foundation launched a Nurses Roll Call where past trainee nurses were asked to share their stories and photos with us, and over 250 entries were received! Many stories highlighted how training at “The Kids” were some of the happiest years of their lives, with lifelong friendships formed.

To learn more about the Nurses Roll Call, and to view this very special digital book, click here.

Graduating years: 50s and 60s

Graduating years: 70s

Graduating years: 80s and 90s

View the Nurses Roll Call digital book

The WCH Foundation is proud to be able to award Newland Ward nurses at the Women’s and Children’s Hospital (WCH) with a professional development opportunity each year thanks to the generous support of the McCartan family.

In memory of Bridget

This scholarship is provided in memory of Bridget Claire McCartan who was a nurse at the WCH.

The Bridget Claire ‘village’ made up of her parents Rebecca and Danny, brother Ciaran, and many other family and friends will continue to raise funds for causes that were important to Bridget, and professional learning and development is one of these.

Rebecca and Danny said, “Bridget was a vibrant, caring and compassionate nurse who achieved her dream of becoming a clinical paediatric nurse on Newland Ward in the Women’s and Children’s Hospital.”

“Bridget had a special interest in burns nursing and attended the 2017 Australian and New Zealand Burns Association (ANZBA) conference in Sydney. She was full of enthusiasm, confidence and additional nursing knowledge on her return. The scholarship is close to our hearts.”

Bridget Claire McCartan.

Scholarship

This year, the Bridget Claire McCartan Scholarship will assist with the expenses for two nurses to attend the ANZBA Annual Scientific Meeting in Melbourne from 12-15 September 2023. This sponsorship will cover the cost of registration, flights and accommodation.

Applicants were reviewed by Burns Advanced Nurse Consultant, Linda Quinn, and Ward Educator, Kasey Medlow, and we are very pleased to announce that Elizabeth Paige and Louisa Stjepanovic were selected for the 2023 opportunity.

Linda said, “The conference is a great opportunity for information sharing and networking with the Bi-National Burns Community and our nurses have always gained a lot from attending. It makes it all the more special knowing how much it meant to our colleague Bridget, and it allows them to carry on the learning in her honour.”

We wish Elizabeth and Louisa all the best with their professional development opportunity and hope they, like Bridget, return with new knowledge to support brilliant care at the WCH.

Our Arts in Health program brightens areas of the Women’s and Children’s Hospital (WCH) through public artworks and art installations to improve the health and wellbeing of the Hospital community.

Two artists have been busy creating some amazing public artworks in the Hospital space.

Laura Wills

Adelaide Artist, Laura Wills, often collaborates with others when she creates art. She’s interested in creating works that are communicative in nature and connect us to the environment.

Recently, Laura has been working on Connected – a collaborative artwork with contributions from patients, families and staff that form the Adolescent Ward community at the WCH.

Laura Wills working with patients to create the collaborative artwork.

With support from our Arts in Health program, Laura and Play Therapist Kylie have been inviting participants to provide photos, drawings and imagery that will be tiled together to create an artwork that provides a sense of belonging to the Adolescent Ward space.

Laura has held a series of workshops with patients on the ward that stimulated and inspired their creativity to make images to contribute towards the group piece.

Stay tuned to see the final artwork which will create a connection to nature and the outside world, improving the social and emotional wellbeing of patients.

Wendy Dixon-Whiley

Wendy Dixon-Whiley is a visual artist based in the Adelaide Hills best known for her street art style mural work. Her influences trace back to 80s street art and 90s pop culture, with her practice incorporating drawing, painting, installation and experimental methods.

Wendy has been painting live in the hospital corridor to create the two magnificent wall murals, allowing patients and families to see the mural evolve over time.

Wendy Dixon-Whiley painting the green mural.

The first mural is a detailed and immersive reptile themed design to connect with a previous artwork ‘Gizzy the Lizard’. The mural imagery has been created to be calming and visually engaging, but not too overstimulating.

Located near the Allied Health services, outside the ground floor lifts, this whimsical mural is entertaining and amusing for children and adults. An element of challenge encourages children to search for smaller creatures while exploring the mural.

Wendy’s yellow mural.

The second mural is located near Adolescent Ward and has been designed to have a more mature concept with a street art edge.

It consists of yellow shapes, overlaid with bold, black brushstrokes, painted live for the patients to see the processes involved in creating mural artworks. The figures aren’t recognizable as anything in particular, which encourages the viewer to use their imagination about their meaning.

Wendy says, “There has been nothing more lovely than hearing kids voicing their delight at these colourful additions to the Hospital.”

Learn more about our public art projects in the Women’s and Children’s Hospital. 

In May 2023, we held our second annual Community Wills Day event where members of our community came together to have a legally valid Will written, whilst also raising money for a cause close to their heart.

It was amazing to see so many of our supporters, as well as many Hospital patient families, come along on the day and raise over $3,000 in the process!

Thank you Finlaysons

This Community Wills Day was kindly supported by Finlaysons Lawyers who generously donated their time.

Nikki Owen (pictured above, right), Partner at Finlaysons, said, “Finlaysons Lawyers has been in Adelaide for over 150 years and is proud to give its time and support to the Women’s & Children’s Hospital Foundation, and the incredible work it does for the community.”

“Each year we look forward to playing our small part in contributing to the health and wellbeing of women, children and families under the care of the Women’s and Children’s Health Network.”

Why having a Will is important

More than half of Australians don’t have a valid Will. Seeking advice from a Wills and Estate Solicitor ensures that you have the correct discussions about what is being controlled by your Will, including both estate and non-estate assets.

Having discussions about exactly what your wishes are in respect to your Will, and making sure you have the right people appointed to administer your estate, better ensures effective distribution of your assets to your beneficiaries.

Including the use of valid wording in your Will further protects those you love, and can support organisations close to your heart.

We are grateful to the thoughtful supporters who decide to leave a gift in their Will to the Women’s & Children’s Hospital Foundation. Even 1% of your estate can make a significant contribution to the women, children and families being cared for by our Hospital.

Learn more about leaving a gift in your Will 

Walking into her Speech Pathology appointment, 3-year-old Elysia was met with a room filled with brand-new toys. Speech Pathology Assistant, Karen Sowton, uses them as a way to act out scenarios, ask questions and create a sense of fun for Elysia during her therapy.

Many children just like Elysia who visit the Speech Pathology and Occupational Therapy departments at the Women’s and Children’s Hospital will have this same experience thanks to a huge refresh of toys for the Allied Health services.

The purchase of these toys was made possible thanks to the generous support of Cops for Kids – a dedicated group of current and former South Australia Police employees who raise money for children’s charities.

Elysia playing with the new toys in her Speech Pathology appointment.

Toy refresh

Karen explains, “Many of the items within the Occupational Therapy and Speech Pathology departments are used over and over again as they are considered to be a robust, engaging and therapeutic option for infants and young children.”

“Over the years, these have become unusable because they are missing pieces or have broken parts, and many also lose their relevance over time and need updating.”

“These toys will go a long way in welcoming and supporting consumers and families accessing Occupational Therapy and Speech Pathology.”

“They have already made a difference by sparking some familiarity and interest for both children and their carers because they are current, relevant, appealing and engaging.”

Elysia loved the new toys in the Allied Health department!

The benefit of toys in Allied Health

Karen says toys play a highly valuable part in Allied Health therapy services.

They are used as part of informal assessment kits, play-based therapy aids, distraction management and to assist with cooperation and engagement in tasks which may be daunting and difficult for young patients.

Karen says, “Toys create enjoyable interactions between staff and families during wait times, assessment and therapy sessions and procedures which can be scary, uncomfortable and even painful.”

“They aid in establishing, consolidating and extending therapy goals such as turn-taking, choice-making, sharing, listening skills, following instructions, hand-eye coordination, role play, targeted early communication and fine motor therapy goals (e.g. sounds, words, grammar, language phrases, reaching, manipulating, coordination and construction).”

“Toys also create a pleasant and welcoming environment when children come into the Hospital for their therapy which can significantly reduce the stress and anxiety of patients and their carers and shows a pathway to how therapy goals can be built on within their own home.”

Neonatal sepsis is an infection occurring in newborn babies with potentially devastating consequences.

The Flemings understand these consequences better than most, losing one of their twin daughters, Isla, to neonatal sepsis shortly after cardiac surgery in 2018. Infants born too early or too small, like little Isla, have a higher risk of developing neonatal sepsis. Ensuring treatments for neonatal sepsis are effective and safe means that babies have the best chance to both survive, and thrive.

Women’s & Children’s Hospital Foundation funded research project, neoGent, led by Associate Professor Luke Grzeskowiak, explored the current neonatal dosing guidelines for gentamicin, an antibiotic commonly used to treat neonatal sepsis. The best dosage of this potentially lifesaving antibiotic is a fine balancing act. Too little and it may not effectively treat the infection. Too much and it can become unsafe, with the potential to cause kidney damage and hearing problems. It remains unclear which dosage is ‘just right’.

Across Australia, at least five different dosing guidelines are used. This means that babies born in one hospital may get a different dose of gentamicin to a similar baby born in another hospital, and this inconsistency is not ideal. Associate Professor Grzeskowiak and his team compared these guidelines to see which performs best in achieving effective and safe concentrations of gentamicin in babies’ blood. No single guideline was perfect, with some working well for babies born very prematurely, and others being better suited to those born later. By reducing the variations that occur from differences in when a baby is born or their age, the effectiveness and safety of gentamicin treatment could be greatly improved. By taking the best parts of existing guidelines, the research team has been able to suggest changes to the guidelines used in South Australia.

This research was presented at the Perinatal Society of Australia and New Zealand meeting in Melbourne earlier this year, with results now being prepared for publication in an international peer-reviewed journal to communicate findings to others in the field. The research team hopes that one day this work might be the catalyst that leads to consistent national guidelines, so that babies across Australia with neonatal sepsis can have the best and safest possible treatment, no matter where they live.

Learn more about WCH Foundation funded research 

12-year-old Charlie has congenital muscular dystrophy, scoliosis and hip dysplasia. For many children like Charlie who use wheelchairs for mobility, finding a place to stay for a family holiday that meets their needs can be challenging.

Charlie’s parents, Jodie and Steven, said, “We don’t plan many family holidays due to difficulty finding suitable and accessible accommodation. To have a house with everything supplied would be really welcome, and a much-needed break for our family.”

In April 2023, Charlie, his parents, and his grandmother stayed at our Laklinyeri Beach House – a purpose-built, medically equipped holiday home for families of children with complex care needs or children in palliative care, as well as bereaved families.

Jodie and Steven say, “We loved the house and found all of the facilities so easy, useful and accessible for Charlie in his electric wheelchair.”

“Everything is lovely and the house has a great ambience. We love all the natural light and fresh air.”

“Having all of the equipment options available on-site, and bikes and beach chairs, is so convenient and means you don’t have to bring everything.”

“Thanks also to all of the generous businesses that donate food and experiences – we are very grateful. We can’t thank the WCH Foundation enough!”

Learn more about our Laklinyeri Beach House

Babies born with cleft lip and/or palate in South Australia now have access to the gold standard of care in the lead-up to surgery thanks to a new moulding service at the Women’s and Children’s Hospital (WCH).

The Naso-Alveolar Moulding (NAM) service improves the surgical outcomes of babies born with cleft lip and/or palate by offering patients pre-surgical intervention prior to lip repair at four months of age.

Dr Kelly Oliver and Percy with his NAM mould in place.

How the NAM service works

Dr Kelly Oliver is the Medical Unit Head of the WCH Paediatric Dental Department.

She says, “Many centres worldwide consider NAM the gold standard of pre-surgical orthopaedic care prior to lip and nose repair.”

The NAM therapy works by gently directing the growth of the baby’s gums and shaping of the nose by reducing the cleft inside the mouth with a plate. During the first few months after birth, these tissues are soft and easy to mould. This process reduces the gap in the upper lip and lifts and narrows the nose.

The baby wears the plate 24/7 and sees the NAM team at the Hospital every one to two weeks for minor adjustments as required.

Approximately 15-20 babies are born in South Australia every year with cleft lip and palate who would potentially benefit from NAM. These children require multiple operations from infancy through to adulthood.

Dr Oliver says, “There are several benefits of the NAM technique in the treatment and outcomes for babies with cleft lip and palate.”

“Correct alignment helps the surgeon to achieve a better and more predictable surgical result. The size of the cleft is reduced with the use of NAM therapy before surgery, making the primary repair of the lip and nose a simpler surgery.”

“Long-term studies of NAM therapy indicate that the change in the nasal shape is stable with less scar tissue and better lip and nasal form. Additionally, parents report feeling satisfaction that they are contributing towards their child’s care.”

Percy’s NAM station, crafted by his dad.

Percy’s story

Percy was the very first patient to undergo NAM therapy at the Women’s and Children’s Hospital.

His mum, Stephanie, had confirmation at her 20-week ultrasound scan that he had a bilateral cleft lip and palate, which meant he would be born with openings on both sides of his upper lip and the roof of his mouth.

Stephanie says, “I was blown away. It was a big shock. I didn’t know anyone with a cleft lip or palate and I didn’t know anything about it.”

A few months later, Percy was born at the WCH. Stephanie says, “My eldest, who is four years old, said, ‘He looks like a teddy bear,’ because of how teddy bears’ lips are kind of like that. I thought it’s a nice way of describing it!”

The day Percy and Stephanie were discharged from the Hospital, they met Dr Oliver.

Stephanie says, “She came and spoke to us and mentioned we had couple of options: we could try taping or do the NAM therapy, so we said we’d be open to trying it. A couple of weeks later we saw her again and she took moulds of his mouth and it just went from there.”

Percy wore the plate all day, and Stephanie could change it at home, which was made even easier thanks to an innovative set-up station her husband made.

She says, “Doing the NAM has been a bit of work, but it’s honestly not been hard.”

“I feel like it’s been no effort on our behalf.”

In just months, the gap in Percy’s lip went from 14mm down to just 2mm.

Stephanie says, “It’s a huge difference!”

“It’s amazing getting those kinds of results before surgery.”

“The NAM was the best thing. It didn’t hurt him, and it was so easy to guide the direction of growth.”

At six months old, Percy underwent his first surgery to repair his lip.

Stephanie says it all went really well and Percy has recovered amazingly.

Percy before and after using the NAM mould, ready for surgery.

SA Power Networks Employee Foundation

The NAM Service is a joint initiative of the Cleft & Craniofacial SA and Paediatric Dentistry Units, funded by the WCH Foundation thanks to the generous support of SA Power Networks Employee Foundation.

Stephanie says, “I think we’re really blessed. I’m really, really grateful that the WCH Foundation invested the money into doing this, and I’m so grateful that Percy could be part of it.”

Dr Oliver says, “These funds will be used to supply initial consumables, equipment and education materials required to provide our babies in need of this service with access to NAM.”

“Additionally, this will provide an opportunity to upskill staff and a local technician in this niche field and serve as a pilot to build the most ideal service for our population’s needs.”

2-year-old Marcus is under the care of the Paediatric Palliative Care Service at the Women’s and Children’s Hospital. He and his family were invited to stay at our Laklinyeri Beach House – a medically equipped holiday home in Victor Harbor for children in palliative care or with complex care needs, as well as bereaved families.

Marcus’ mum, Joyce, says, “Where do we even begin? We absolutely love everything about the Beach House, it’s been incredible in so many different ways to cater for our little man Marcus.”

“We love that it has a cot that suits Marcus’ needs, the round couch for Marcus to relax in, the beautiful accessible bathtub so he could have a comfortable bath, the wide passages which allowed easy manoeuvrability of the pram and the step-free access in and out of the house. Marcus also had his first train ride and trip to the wildlife park.”

“Everything about this house and the experience has made our trip away from home so comfortable.”

Marcus and his extended family at the Beach House.

Thanks to the size and layout of the Beach House, families often invite their friends and relatives to stay as well. Marcus’ parents, siblings, aunty and uncle, cousins, grandparents and great-grandfather all enjoyed the Beach House with him!

The stay also allowed a much easier trip for the family to attend Marcus’ aunt’s wedding in the Fleurieu Peninsula during the week of their visit.

Joyce says, “We feel really fortunate and thankful to have this opportunity to experience this home with our dearest family.”

Marcus’ grandparents, Tracey and Steve, say, “As grandparents, being able to join Marcus and enjoy the new things with him with such ease has been an absolute pleasure! This is a place of absolute serenity and functionality for all families.”

Marcus, his parents, Joyce and Brady, and his baby sister, Lily, at the Beach House.

Learn more about our Laklinyeri Beach House