Common flu turns into desperate fight for life

Ten-year old Crystal Gallone doesn’t know what hit her. What should have been a case of the common flu turned into a battle for life. Crystal was admitted to the RCH when her flu symptoms appeared unusually severe.  As the flu attacked her body, her organs began shutting down and she was sent to the Paediatric Intensive … Continued

Saving Annie

It has taken over 100 hospital staff to give little Annie Kerr a second chance at life. At just six weeks of age, Annie was diagnosed with biliary atresia.  The condition caused her liver to become progressively diseased until it nearly shut down completely. Annie’s only change at survival was a donation from a stranger – a … Continued

Intraoperative MRI machine to change the face of neurosurgery

RCH Director of Neurosurgery Wirginia Maixner has given the intraoperative magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) machine in the new Royal Children’s Hospital the thumbs up. Wirginia was joined by RCH CEO Professor Christine Kilpatrick and Chief Medical Imaging Technologist Michael Kean this morning as they enjoyed a sneak peek of the machine before its magnet is switched on in coming weeks. … Continued

Cardiac Surgery team takes the cake

The RCH Cardiac Surgery team was honoured to have the very best judge for their Great Pavlova Competition grand final this morning – renowned Australian cook, retaurateur and food writer Stephanie Alexander. The competition was the brainchild of Cardiac Surgery Director, Christian Brizard.  Since January, one contender (surgeons, nurses, perfusionists, anaesthetists and administration staff) per week baked … Continued

The new Royal Children’s Hospital wows Minister for Health

With only 124 days to go before it opens, the new Royal Children’s Hospital (RCH) impressed the Hon David Davis, MP, Minister for Health this morning as he toured the state-of-the-art facility. The $1 billion project has been seven years in the making and construction workers are now applying the final touches inside the building. … Continued

Good Friday Appeal 2011 most successful to date

This year’s Royal Children’s Hospital Good Friday Appeal was extra special in more ways than one. Not only did 2011 represent the 80th anniversary of the GFA but it was yet another record breaking year, with a phenomenal $15,156,000 raised beating last year’s tally of $14.4M. Loyal supporters and staff attended the annual cheque handover, … Continued

RCH doctor receives Premier’s commendation for bacteria research

RCH paediatrician Dr Andrew Steer today received a commendation in the 2011 Premier’s Award for Health and Medical Research. Dr Steer’s investigations into the bacteria that causes rheumatic fever, pharyngitis and impetigo, are changing policy at an international level. The $8,000 award was presented to Dr Steer by the Premier of Victoria at Government House. Dr … Continued

Amelia Petrie

Amelia Petrie owes her life to The Royal Children’s Hospital.  The two-year-old can now smile and talk, and there is hope she will walk again, after she sustained a head injury in March. She was airlifted to the RCH after being knocked unconscious by a startled horse at her family’s property at Tatura. Scans revealed … Continued

Isabella Davis

Isabella Davis has suffered hundreds of seizures a day in her short life because she has a genetic disorder which produces hard lumps, or tubers, in her brain. The growths spark seizures, and their constant bombardment has disrupted the toddler’s brain development . Specialists at the Royal Children’s Hospital implanted electrodes in her brain to … Continued

Abby McKerrow

With her triplet brothers in toe, there’s no stopping Abby McKerrow. The eleven-month-old baby was born with a misshapen head because with her siblings, Beau and Cooper, Abby found herself squished in the side of their mother’s stomach. Abby has since been fitted with a specially designed cranial remodelling helmet that she wears 23 hours a day. Read the full story on … Continued