Children's Hospital Foundation 'Thank You Day'
Children’s Hospital Foundation Board Chair, Ms Karen Prentis and members of the Board; CEO, Ms Lyndsey Rice; supporters and volunteers; distinguished guests; ladies and gentlemen.
I begin by acknowledging the original custodians of the lands around Brisbane, the Turrbal and Jagera people, and extend respectful greetings to Elders, past, present and emerging, including any First Nations people here today.
Graeme and I warmly welcome you all to Government House, as we say an enormous 'thank you” to both the Children’s Hospital Foundation—of which I am proud Patron—and to you, its incredible supporters, who make it such a valuable organisation in this State.
As former Chief Health Officer, I know how much this entire network of passionate individuals practically and emotionally assists Queensland’s littlest patients and their families and helps our amazing medical and hospital staff deliver their exceptional care.
Underpinning everything the Children’s Hospital Foundation does is a deep understanding that kids still crave happiness and fun, despite their illnesses or injuries.
Every day, the energetic expertise of the Foundation team, and the enthusiastic commitment of its volunteers, provide a broad, imaginative array of services that promote a more healing environment, and bring brightness to families in their most challenging times.
Alongside this, the Children’s Hospital Foundation funds the purchase of cutting-edge medical equipment—for the Queensland Children’s Hospital in Brisbane and for our regional hospitals— helping to ensure that life-changing, and life-saving, pediatric medical research can take place.
On that note, I am so proud that Queensland has recently become home to Australia’s first dedicated children’s immunotherapy centre for research—named in honour of Professor Ian Frazer—and realised through the financial generosity of philanthropic donors, in collaboration with partners.
This venture, with its quest to investigate more effective, less intrusive treatments for kids with cancer, has the power to transform lives, not just in Queensland, but globally. It is just one example, among many others, of the ground-breaking research work being done across a broad array of areas.
It is the support of those of you in this room, and the many others in our community who so generously support the Foundation, that makes any of this possible.
Whether you are a corporate partner, or generous donor, give selflessly of your skills or time, or are involved in fundraising activities and events, each of you has helped to improve the lives of our precious children, creating a more hopeful future for them and their families.
Your contributions are each crucial to the ongoing success of the Foundation and to the vitality and capability of our hospital system.
This gift is truly priceless.
So, on this second official “Thank You Day”, I once again give my heartfelt gratitude to both the Children’s Hospital Foundation, and to all those who support it.
On behalf of all Queenslanders—particularly those with young children—I commend you all for demonstrating such generosity, compassion, thoughtfulness and determination.
As an expression of my ongoing support of the Foundation and the wonderful work it does for the people of Queensland, I’m now proud to present a Certificate of Vice-Regal Patronage.