Today at The Royal Children’s Hospital (RCH) Alisa and Oliver Camplin-Warner, founders of Finnan’s Gift, celebrated another outstanding year of fundraising for the hospital. This year the Finnan’s Gift appeal reached its fundraising goal of $75,000 which will provide the hospital with six Near Infrared Spectroscopy (NIRS) monitors.
Alisa Camplin, Winter Olympic gold medalist said: “When Oliver and I launched Finnan’s Gift in 2011 we never expected the community to embrace and support our goals as much as they have.”
“The generosity of the community brings so much joy to us. Knowing that Finnan’s legacy of supporting a better future for cardiac children continues. We look forward to another year of fundraising and granting high-impact gifts,” said Alisa.
This innovative technology will mean RCH clinicians will be able to monitor the blood and oxygen levels of individual organs. This will be the first time the RCH is able to offer this type of non-invasive monitoring outside the operating theatre.
It is hoped that the data obtained from these monitors will enable RCH medical staff to pick up early warning signs in a patient which may potentially save a child’s life.
“We are thrilled to bring these six cutting edge devices to the RCH and to see what a real difference Finnan’s Gift is making,” said Alisa.
Finnan’s Gift was established by Alisa and Oliver in 2011 in honour of their son Finnan Maximus Camplin-Warner who was prematurely brought into the world after doctors had diagnosed him in-utero with Congenital Heart Disease. Ten days later, Alisa and Oliver’s baby boy peacefully passed away after bravely enduring six open heart surgeries during his short life.
Sue Hunt, Executive Director, The Royal Children’s Hospital Foundation said that since its inception, Finnan’s Gift has raised over $800,000 – a remarkable achievement.
“The future of children’s health is in our hands and Finnan’s Gift reminds us all that through fundraising we can support this vision,” said Ms Hunt.
High impact outcomes like this wouldn’t happen without the support of major contributors and fundraisers, special thanks to Finnan’s Gift major supporters; Embracia, Ray White, The Fox Family Foundation, John Laidlaw, Team Finnan, Melbourne Marathon runners, Business Chicks, Newskills, Boost Juice Southgate, Jenny Camplin, The Iles Family, The Slater Family and SMS Alumnae High Tea.
Keep up to date with the Finnan’s Gift fundraising activity at www.finnansgift.com.au.
More info: www.rchfoundation.org.au