We are proud to share that we have helped fund new engagement boards, equipped at every inpatient bedside across the Women’s and Children’s Health Network.

These boards were thoughtfully co-designed with clinicians, consumers and families. Their purpose is simple yet powerful: to support clearer, more meaningful conversations about each patient’s care and what matters most to them. The boards include dedicated spaces to write messages and questions for staff, note how the patient is feeling and share their daily goals.

Working alongside Aboriginal consumers and staff, a version has also been developed to create culturally safe, respectful and meaningful engagement for Aboriginal patients and families.

By empowering shared decision making, the engagement boards help patients and families feel informed, involved and confident in their care journey, while also acting as an important tool for clinicians to share patient information.

Consumer Advocate Hannah and Registered Nurse Sunny, who were involved in the project.

We’re incredibly grateful to everyone involved in bringing this initiative to life. These small moments of connection and communication can make a profound difference to the wellbeing and experience of families during their hospital stay and we are honoured to help make that impact possible.

The brand-new playground at the Women’s and Children’s Hospital is officially open and families are already making joyful memories in this inclusive and purpose-built space.

Children at the opening celebration explored the playground’s exciting new features, including interactive sensory panels, balance and strength building apparatus, and inclusive play structures such as a wheelchair accessible carousel. Thoughtfully designed with every child in mind, the playground supports the physical, developmental and therapeutic needs of patients and families. 

Adding to the fun on opening day, a face painter and balloon artist delighted children throughout the celebration, creating a festive atmosphere full of laughter and smiles. 

Whether climbing, laughing, or exploring, the opening day highlighted the vital role this playground will play for families at the Hospital. Children undergoing treatment and their siblings have a space to play, recover, and feel like kids again. Parents and carers have a spot to rest, connect, and enjoy small but powerful moments of relief during what can be long and challenging days. 

The redevelopment was made possible thanks to the incredible generosity of donors, supporters, and community partners.  

The WCH Foundation is proud to support projects like this, which enhance the patient experience and support the emotional and social wellbeing of children and their families.

See the opening day and full photo gallery below!

Thank you to our supporters! 

This playground was made possible by the generosity of our community.  

Special thanks to SA Power Networks and the Enerven Employee Foundation, who launched the campaign by pledging to match the first $20,000 raised. We’re also grateful to AHT Electrical, the Australian Football League, and Foodland & the Good 4 Locals Foundation for their support, along with every donor who contributed to making this project a reality.

Thanks to a new radiant overhead heater acquired for the Women’s and Children’s Hospital delivery suite, newborns are now receiving the care and comfort they need from their very first moments.

For newborns, maintaining stable body temperature in the first few hours of life is crucial. Hypothermia in neonates can lead to serious complications and, in some cases, result in unnecessary admissions to the Special Care Baby Unit (SCBU), separating babies from their mothers in those critical early bonding moments.

Midwife Jamie Logan explains the importance of the infant warmer, sharing that “neonates who are growth restricted, small for gestational age, or born to diabetic mothers are at a higher risk of becoming hypothermic during the postnatal period.” Having this specialised equipment in the delivery suite means these babies can be continuously monitored during skin-to-skin contact with their parents while also receiving radiant heat if necessary.

Already, they’re seeing results, with a 78% success rate for at-risk newborns who use the warmer avoiding SCBU admission.

“We anticipate that this technology will be invaluable in promoting family-centred care,” says Jamie.

Keeping mothers and babies together from the very beginning supports their bond, reduces stress, and improves outcomes for everyone involved.

A heartfelt thank you to Shannon Fleming, LOT.100, and special guest chefs whose efforts with Collab for a Cause raised almost $70,000, helping make this vital project a reality. Together, we are helping South Australian babies, children and their families thrive from the very beginning.

Two brave buddies found themselves on the same unexpected adventure, landing them both in Newland Ward at the Women’s and Children’s Hospital.

Spending time in the hospital can be daunting. But for Sunny (left) and Clarry (right), their time on Newland Ward turned into an unexpected experience that showcased the incredible power of friendship during challenging times.

Two separate bike accidents at their local bike trail, saw the boys both treated at the Women’s and Children’s Hospital (WCH). Sunny suffered a ruptured spleen, followed just days later by Clarry who arrived with a serious liver injury from the very same bike jump.

Separated by circumstance but united by friendship, the two boys were soon sharing not only recovery journeys but a hospital room, too. Recovering from serious injuries as a child isn’t just about physical treatment; it’s often just as much about emotional wellbeing. The staff at WCH’s Newland Ward understood this and went above and beyond to ensure that Sunny and Clarry could go through their recovery side by side.

Their families couldn’t be more grateful for the thoughtful care provided not just for the boys’ injuries but for their overall wellbeing.