Hunter Children's Research Foundation

The Hunter Children's Research Foundation (HCRF) was established in February 1996 to support research at the John Hunter Children's Hospital and since that time has continued to raise much needed funds for research into children's health issues.

The HCRF is affiliated with Kaleidoscope - The Hunter Children's Health Network.   HCRF activities are coordinated by the Hunter Children's Research Executive and the Foundation is a subcommittee of the HMRI Foundation for charitable fundraising.

The current HCRF Committee comprises: 

• Janelle Shakespeare - Chair
• Lorraine Gardner - Secretary/Treasurer
• Natasha Beyersdorf
• Sheridan Ferrier
• Judy Hogan
• Helen Ancuck

 

Money raised by HCRF stays in the Hunter to establish new and continue existing child health research projects in areas such as asthma, cancer, cystic fibrosis, diabetes, sleep disorders, mental health.

HCRF provides funds for allocation for research grants to facilitate new and support ongoing research. To date, HCRF has raised over $1M for research grants and equipment.

For further information about HCRF please call Lorraine Gardner, Secretary/Treasurer, on 0416 044 754.

 

Rotary

Many Rotary Clubs throughout the Hunter are great friends of the John Hunter Children's Hospital. Over the years we have enjoyed the support of the following Clubs: Belmont, Bennett's Green, Hamilton, East Maitland, Maitland Sunrise, Mayfield, Merewether Heights, Morisset, Murrurundi, Newcastle Enterprise, Newcastle Inc, Paterson, Toronto, Toronto Sunrise, Wallsend/Maryland and Warners Bay.

The John Hunter Children's Hospital currently enjoys, and is extremely grateful for, continued partnerships with:

Rotary Club of Newcastle Enterprise - has made amazing contributions to support sick kids since 2003.  That support has ranged from the provision of equipment to help treat patients with greater comfort e.g. spa bath and overhead hoisting systems; special syringes to administer patient controlled analgesia; virtual reality equipment to help alleviate anxiety experienced during painful procedures; creation and ongoing maintenance of a library retreat for kids - our Book Nook. Most recently the financial contribution by the Rotary Club of Newcastle Enterprise has made possible the continuation of our Music Therapy program for children.

Rotary Club of Warners Bay - and partners (Rotary Clubs of Toronto Sunrise; Toronto; Morisset, Belmont, Bennett's Green, Cardiff; Rutherford Telarah; and supporters Crest and St. John Ambulance) who support Loop the Lake. This event now in its 14th year has continued to ensure the delivery of Play Therapy programs in the John Hunter Children's Hospital and we remain extremely grateful for their support.

Rotary Club of Newcastle Incfor their interest in the work of Kaleidoscope. The Club has supported past humanitarian projects which allowed a child from Fiji to receive specialist treatment for cerebral palsy. Most recently the Club helped facilitate the purchase of state-of-the-art equipment called a BRM3 for our Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. This device provides continuous measurement of brain wave activity in premature newborns and is extremely useful for identifying seizures. It is used on the very sickest of babies, particularly those affected by lack of oxygen at birth. Continuous monitoring allows earliest possible detection of seizures and an accurate and objective way to judge the effect of anti-seizure medications.

 

John Hunter Children's Hospital Kids Club

When the John Hunter Children's Hospital was first established, it was the Kids Club that rallied the community to provide much-needed funds to help make the hospital environment much more child friendly.

Some years later and the John Hunter Children's Hospital Kids Club is still tirelessly raising funds for sick kids of the Hunter. 

Raising over $2,000,000, Kids Club and their partners' efforts over that time have significantly contributed to the purchases of equipment as well as supporting services that enhance a child's experience within the Hospital setting.

If you would like more information about the Kids Club please contact Jan Waugh on (02) 4948 7868.

 

Kaleidoscope Kids

In June 2009 a group of enthusiastic volunteers offered to raise much needed funds for Kaleidoscope - Hunter Children's Health Network. 

Kaleidoscope Kids raises money for children's health services in the community as well as special projects in the John Hunter Children's Hospital.

Money is raised through raffles, craft stall and BBQ's and as at June 2010 this group has raised over $33,000.

If you would like more information about Kaleidoscope Kids please contact Colleen Wakefield on (02) 4954 4373.

 

Woolworths

Woolworths Limited is a major corporate supporter of the John Hunter Children's Hospital and is a committed partner of Kaleidoscope.

Woolworths' major fundraising campaign is a National campaign, conducted Australia-wide and accordingly, we acknowledge that funds are primarily directed to children's hospitals providing national specialist services.  It is encouraging however that our local Woolworths teams are committed to helping us enhance the care and support we provide to Hunter families and actively pursue additional opportunities to fundraise for us at a local level.

The John Hunter Children's Hospital received its inaugural donation in 1996 when the Woolworths Appeal for the New Children's Hospital in Sydney expanded to support nominated children's hospitals in NSW and the ACT.  The Woolworths Hospital Appeal has changed name several times over the years and is particularly well remembered as the Bandaged Bear Appeal.  Today the appeal is known as the Woolworths "Fresh Food Kids Hospital Appeal".

Today, in keeping with their focus on helping provide "fresh futures", Woolworths also offers grants to support community programs.  Applications for this funding complements the already generous contributions made under their "Fresh Food Kids Hospital Appeal".

Every year our partnership with Woolworths goes from strength to strength and under the banner of the Fresh Food Kids Hospital Appeal the financial support received helps us to significantly improve the equipment, services and programs that we can provide to patients.

Since 1996, Woolworths has donated over $1,000,000 to Kaleidoscope. Some examples of how this support has benefited children's health services are:

In 2006 thanks to Woolworths' appreciation of the role of Volunteers within the health setting, the John Hunter Children's Hospital was able to appoint a part-time Co-ordinator of Volunteer Services.  This position provides structured training and support for Volunteers and assists with recruitment and expansion of programs to meet the needs of health care teams at the John Hunter Children's Hospital.

In addition to donations made through the Fresh Food Kids Hospital Appeal, Woolworths willingly accept our requests for assistance and have generously provided  a range of ‘gifts in kind' to help minimise costs of events and activities for which we have no budget. For example: helping with the catering of various fundraising events such as the launch of cinema production Three Dollars featuring Kaleidoscope Children's Champion Sarah Wynter; the launch of Cello Lullaby and The HUSH Collection as well as catering and gifts for Volunteer thank you functions.

In 2007, in keeping with Woolworths' appreciation of the philosophy and role of Kaleidoscope, the Manning Rural Referral Hospital received its inaugural donation and remains indebted to Woolworths for their continued support the paediatric team at Taree.  That support further expanded in 2010 with a community grant to ensure provision of food and fruit for Aboriginal kids attending the Breakfast Club at Tobwabba which is attended by Kaleidoscope's paediatricians.

Our partnership with Woolworths in 2011 was further extended to The Maitland Hospital Paediatric Ward, which was embraced by the local community. The inagural donation allowed Maitland to purchase new mobile cots for the ward. Woolworths also kindly donated a number of digital flat screen televisions.

 

Xstrata

Xstrata Coal is a major corporate supporter of Kaleidoscope partnering to support the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at the John Hunter Children's Hospital. Our partnership with Xstrata Coal commenced in 2006 and thanks to this support we have significantly improved the service and facilities available to support newborns and their families.  Be it providing equipment to safely retrieve newborn babies from across the Hunter New England region, to creating environments where mothers can breastfeed in comfort and privacy, the impact from Xstrata Coal's financial support is far-reaching.

We very much appreciate the support of companies like Xstrata Coal and are extremely grateful for the opportunity this relationship affords us in providing enhanced services to the many patients and families who access our services each year.

To date Xstrata Coal has donated $565,000 to John Hunter Children's Hospital. The contributions from Xstrata have assisted John Hunter Children's Hospital in the following ways:

2006 Purchase of a purpose built neonatal transport unit specially designed to fit with Westpac Rescue Helicopter

2007 Contribution to the purchase of an ultrasound machine

2008 Refurbishment of spaces in the NICU to help create an appropriate environment for newborns and their families.  Features include installation of window transfers to increase privacy; a lounge area where parents can meet with family away from their baby's crib; modifications to a counselling room that can when necessary be segregated from the nursery to allow family's to meet with extended family; and creation of a separate breastfeeding room.

2009 Purchase of four Draegar humidicribs

2010 Purchase of 10 new intensive care monitors for babies in the Intensive Care and Special Care Unit. The monitor is attached to each newborn baby admitted and is able to demonstrate the baby's heart rate, respiratory (breathing) rate, temperature, blood pressure and oxygen level.

2011 The purchase of a further 10 new intensive care monitors for babies in the Intensive Care and Special Care Unit.