For some families, the joy of welcoming a newborn is quickly overshadowed by fear when their baby is born with a congenital condition requiring urgent surgery.

These major abdominal or chest surgeries, though rare, account for 17% of all Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) admissions in Australia. For these tiny patients, recovery is a delicate and challenging process.

Feeding after surgery is one of the biggest hurdles. Instead of breastmilk or formula, these newborns often rely on intravenous nutrition made up of carbohydrates, fats, and amino acids. Until now, the standard practice has been to provide all these components immediately. However, emerging evidence suggests that delaying amino acids in critically ill children may significantly improve recovery, reducing time in intensive care by nearly one-third and time on breathing support by almost half. The youngest and most vulnerable patients may benefit the most.

Despite this promising evidence, no large-scale study has ever tested whether this approach works for surgical newborns. Without robust data, doctors cannot confidently change practice, leaving families to endure long, stressful, and costly hospital stays.

That’s where the DELA3Y Trial comes in.

Supported through the WCH Foundation’s Bloom Research Program, Professor Michael Stark and his team are leading a world-first clinical trial to investigate whether a simple change in nutritional timing can transform outcomes for babies recovering from major surgery. This groundbreaking study will compare early versus delayed provision of amino acids in newborns and measure the impact on their recovery.

“Because it’s a simple intervention, there’s every chance that it will be rapidly translated into clinical practice and change the approach to neonatal care for these babies worldwide” – Professor Michael Stark

If successful, the DELA3Y Trial could shorten intensive care stays, reduce reliance on breathing support, improve long-term health outcomes, and revolutionize global medical practice with a simple, cost-effective intervention for NICUs. Prof. Stark’s work has the potential to make a lasting impact on the lives of the youngest and most vulnerable members of our community.

Find out more about the research we support, here.

On Thursday October 16, we had the privilege of gathering with our valued donors, partners and supporters at the Playford Hotel for our Impact Event, celebrating the remarkable difference our community has made over the past year. 

We were honoured to be joined by special guests Chris Picton MP, Minister for Health and Wellbeing, Tung Ngo MLC, Member of the South Australian Legislative Council, and Rebecca Graham, CEO of the Women’s and Children’s Health Network (WCHN). Their presence underscored the shared commitment to advancing children’s healthcare across South Australia.

Throughout the evening, we celebrated the wide-reaching impact of donor generosity. With almost 200,000 children attending the Women’s and Children’s Hospital (WCH) each year, this support touches every corner, from vital family support services and new facilities to the therapeutic benefits of our Arts in Health program.

“The philanthropic community, brought together by the Foundation, is an integral part of the search for the solutions that will positively transform children’s healthcare and the hospital experience for families,” shared Verity Gobbett, CEO of the WCH Foundation.

We reflected on the profound impact of programs that support families throughout their healthcare journey, with Janine Herbert sharing her son Jonah’s story and how the gift of spending time together at the WCH Foundation’s Laklinyeri Beach House has been life-changing. 

Another highlight of the evening was the engaging panel discussion featuring Professor Michael Stark, Head of Neonatal Services at the WCH; Jodie Beck, founder of the Loving Lucy Mae Fund who has raised more than $20,000 in honour of daughter Lucy for the WCH Foundation; Andrew Bills, CEO of SA Power Networks; and Kirstie Morgan, Head of Unit for Neurodevelopmental Physiotherapy at the WCH. Their insights highlighted the importance of community and innovation in shaping the future of healthcare.  

We were also proud to recognise our 2025 Bloom Research Grant recipients, with the Minister for Health and Wellbeing presenting awards to the researchers shaping the future of children’s health in the areas of rare diseases and youth mental health.

“This past year, thanks to the generosity of our donors, many personally connected to the Women’s and Children’s, we have been able to inject more than $5m into the network as we strive for healthcare without limits for every patient and family,” said Verity Gobbett.

Together, we’re reimagining what’s possible, ensuring the best care for families today while driving discovery and delivering healthcare without limits for the families of tomorrow.

To learn about the impact we’re creating, view our Impact Report.