The Palaszczuk Government has kicked off the fundraising for Queensland’s annual Nine Telethon in support of the Children’s Hospital Foundation with a $1.5 million donation.
The Nine Telethon will be broadcast statewide on Saturday, 23 April, encouraging Queenslanders to open their hearts and their wallets to help fund vital new clinical equipment, life-saving medical research, and support services for sick and injured kids and their families.
Minister for Health and Ambulance Services Yvette D’Ath said a $5 million investment by the Palaszczuk Government and the Children’s Hospital Foundation towards the 2020 Telethon had delivered a dedicated state-of-the-art digital positron emission tomography (PET) computed tomography (CT) service at Queensland Children’s Hospital.
“On behalf of the Queensland Government, I am pleased to announce this $1.5 million donation for this year’s Nine Telethon,” Minister D’Ath said.
“With this support, the Foundation can continue to expand its investment in equipment like the new PET-CT scanner that ultimately delivers a better and safer experience for patients, their families, and the clinicians caring for them.
“The Queensland Children’s Hospital is the first paediatric hospital in Australia to offer this digital PET-CT technology which will benefit more than 200 Queensland children every year, giving them faster and safer access to the best available care and treatment when they need them the most.
“Previously, sick kids who needed this type of advanced imaging had to be transferred via ambulance from the Queensland Children’s Hospital to the Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital,” Minister D’Ath said.
“Launching this specialist paediatric service has ensured our youngest patients have a PET scan as soon as possible without having to leave the safety of the children’s hospital.”
“It also reduces the overall procedure time by up to 6.5 hours for some kids, freeing up crucial healthcare services for more Queenslanders who need them.”
The digital PET-CT technology delivers higher quality, more accurate imaging, with faster scan times and less exposure to radiation as part of patient’s diagnosis and treatment. Faster scan times also shorten the duration of the procedure, reducing the need for anaesthetic.
Children’s Hospital Foundation Acting Chief Executive Officer, Olivia Jary, said: “We are extremely grateful for this tremendous commitment from the Queensland Government which will help the Foundation continue to make a meaningful difference in the lives of sick Queensland kids and their families.
“The digital PET-CT scanner is a prime example of the demonstrable impact that donations can have. The Children’s Hospital Foundation’s contribution to the PET-CT technology was made possible through the generosity of the late Geoff Carrick who kindly left the Children’s Hospital Foundation a substantial gift in his will to ensure sick kids have the best chance of living full and healthy lives.
“The Nine Telethon is a great opportunity for all of us to come together and ensure that new medical equipment, critical research, and support services can be provided to our sickest kids. I urge all Queenslanders to tune in on April 23 for a night of heart-warming stories and entertainment,” Ms Jary said.
Nine Telethon will be broadcast on Channel 9 and 9Now at 7.00pm on Saturday, 23 April. For more information, visit https://www.nineforbrands.com.au/
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