Each year, approximately 60,000 babies and patients under the age of 18 receive care at Gold Coast University Hospital and Robina Hospital.
Thanks to generous donations from the community, Gold Coast Hospital Foundation raises funds for valuable equipment, hospital improvements and support programs that complement local hospital care – helping to reduce distress for thousands of children who are facing medical hardship.
Child Life Therapy helping children prepare for surgery
The Foundation received a three-year grant from the Greater Charitable Foundation in 2018 that will help fund the expansion of the invaluable Child Life Therapy program being delivered at Gold Coast University Hospital.
The Child Life Therapy program supports young children and their families in their hospital journey by helping counteract fear and distress that is often associated with medical procedures. It includes pre-theatre support, distraction therapy through the use of play, tours and ward orientation, and social emotional support for parents and patients. This helps put children at ease and reduce family anxiety around the hospital experience.
The Children’s Perioperative team at Gold Coast University Hospital piloted and established a part-time Child Life Therapy service in 2016 with the funding support of the Foundation. With the Greater Charitable Foundation’s funding injection, the program will be expanded to a full-time service for the next three years.
Creating an interactive child-friendly hospital
Being in hospital can be overwhelming for children and their families as well as boring and lacking areas to exercise and play. Many of these children and their brothers and sisters would love places to play, run, explore and heal.
With your help, Gold Coast Hospital Foundation aims to improve comfort and treatment for children in hospital by reducing fear and hardship for both them and their families. By creating a more child-friendly, interactive hospital environment you can help children who spend long hours in hospital every year, as well as the thousands of children who visit their loved ones across the hospital.