Our smallest and sickest children will receive world-class care closer to home, thanks to the generosity of Victorians and the unwavering support of the Good Friday Appeal.

A $3 million investment will provide a significant boost to regional health services, supporting critical projects such as upgrading lifesaving equipment, offering additional training, and providing scholarships for healthcare professionals.

The Good Friday Appeal is committed to supporting the Royal Children’s Hospital in extending their care beyond the four walls of the hospital, building to improve the health outcomes of children all over Victoria.

We understand that Parkville is a long way from Paynesville and Penshurst – this funding will help families across Victoria and southern New South Wales, by reducing travel times and improving medical outcomes, ensuring children can access the care they need closer to home.

In 2024, six regional health services shared $2.5 million from the record-breaking $23,368,724 raised by the Good Friday Appeal:

• Barwon South West – Barwon Health
• Gippsland – Latrobe Regional Health
• Hume – Goulburn Valley Health and Albury Wodonga Health
• Grampians – Grampians Health
• Loddon Mallee – Bendigo Health

Today, Health Minister Mary-Anne Thomas will join Good Friday Appeal Chairman Penny Fowler AM and Executive Director Rebecca Cowan in Geelong to announce an additional $3 million in funding for these regions.

Good Friday Appeal chairman Penny Fowler, said investing in regional funding provides an opportunity to keep kids closer to home.

“For 94 years, the Good Friday Appeal has raised $468million to support sick kids and their families. Every dollar donated provides life saving care at The Royal Children’s Hospital and this funding will further enhance regional capacity, support essential projects to improve patient care, and provide regional hospitals with crucial resources.

We want to thank our regional supporters who are at the heart of the Good Friday Appeal for their incredible fundraising efforts over the years”

Good Friday Appeal Executive Director, Rebecca Cowan, said the funding underscores the Appeal’s commitment to delivering critical healthcare improvements in regional areas.

“These funds will support vital projects aimed at enhancing patient care and equipping regional hospitals with much-needed resources,” Ms. Cowan said.

“We want to ensure that regional Victorians have access to high-quality healthcare closer to home. The unwavering support from regional communities has helped us achieve incredible outcomes and we remain deeply committed to continuing this legacy’

The funds raised by last year’s Good Friday Appeal have delivered life-changing improvements and will continue to positively impact countless families across regional Victoria.

Barwon Health received new resuscitation training and video equipment for neonatal care.

“Thanks to our partnership with the Royal Children’s Hospital Good Friday Appeal, Barwon Health has enhanced the care we provide to children and their families, ensuring our Barwon South West community has access to local treatment and care,” said Francer Diver, Barwon Health chief executive.

Latrobe Regional Health is in the process of establishing Gippsland’s first neurodevelopment outpatients’ clinic and has invested the GFA funding into training and education for staff in multiple disciplines.

Latrobe Regional Health has also used the funding to purchase state-of-the-art simulation equipment to upskill the nursing and medical teams in advanced and basic life support.

“This clinic will be staffed by a multidisciplinary team who, through this funding, have each received specialist training focused on mitigating developmental delays,” Latrobe Regional Health chief executive officer Don McRae said.

“The clinic, set to open in March 2025, will promote accessible and affordable person-centred car, providing personalised treatment plans for children up to two years old.”

Goulburn Valley Health were able to offer four paediatric nursing scholarships across a range of specialised teams.

“Thanks to the Good Friday Appeal’s generosity, GV Health has been able to hire a dedicated nurse practitioner candidate for the Shepparton Hospital’s Emergency Department, with recruitment underway for another, as well as support postgraduate nursing scholarships and upskilling of staff delivering Hospital in the Home care. These initiatives will help to ensure clinicians can care for children largely outside a hospital environment, and closer to children’s homes, thereby improving health and wellbeing outcomes in our region. We appreciate and thank the Good Friday Appeal for this significant support,” said Matt Sharp, Goulburn Valley Health Chief Executive.

Grampians Health purchased new infant resuscitation cots and ultrasound equipment for women and babies with high-risk health needs.

“This generous grant from the Good Friday Appeal has helped us transform the pre- and post-natal care we provide to the families of Western Victoria. Our new equipment ensures the babies born in our community receive the best possible start in life, close to home,” said Dale Fraser, Grampians Health Chief Executive Officer.

Loddon Mallee – Bendigo Health is creating an all-abilities outdoor kids’ rehabilitation play space, co-designed with input from both clinicians and patients.

“These important funds will significantly enhance Bendigo Health’s paediatric care, with the appointment of two paediatric nurse educators in allied health and nursing. Additionally, we’ve upskilled our staff through paediatric simulation programs and patient assessment workshops.

In 2024, thanks to the support of the Good Friday Appeal, we reached our fundraising goal for the all-abilities paediatric play space. We look forward to being able to utilise this play space soon,” said Eileen Hannagan, Bendigo Health Chief Executive Officer.

The Royal Children’s Hospital Interim CEO Professor Ed Oakley, said they’re extremely proud to be in partnership with the Good Friday Appeal, a history spanning over 94 years.

“The RCH’s vision is a world where all kids thrive and children have the opportunity to reach their full potential.

“The work of the Good Friday Appeal has enabled us to buy state-of-the-art lifesaving equipment, conduct ground-breaking research and train staff in specialised areas. We thank all Victorians for their support.”

Since its inception, the Good Friday Appeal has raised more than $468 million, helping Victorian families access world-class healthcare services.