Monash Health

We are excited to announce that new dedicated sensory spaces are now open on the Aviary Ward at Monash Children’s Hospital! 🌈    This project was made possible thanks to the generosity of Ronald McDonald House Charities Australia, through their Family Centred Care Grant to the Monash Health Foundation.     The sensory spaces will support neurodiverse children, adolescents and young people who experience heightened sensitivity to noise, light, and movement — which can be particularly overwhelming for those with autism, ADHD, sensory processing differences, or complex neurodevelopmental conditions.    ‘The vision of this project was about creating not just a room, but a refuge within the ward — a place where neurodiverse children can feel safe, calm, and in control of their environment,’ said Emma Goodes, Nurse Unit Manager, Aviary Ward.    ‘With the support of the Ronald McDonald House Grant, we have been able to re-purpose some of our spaces to support emotional regulation and reduce distress for our patients and families who might be facing any challenges during their stay.’    The dedicated sensory space will support patient and family wellbeing with:    💺Vibroacoustic therapy chairs  💡Sensory lighting and acoustics   ｡˚○ Bubble lamps   ✨Room projectors   ✅Safe clinical integration of sensory features     ‘We have already had so much positive feedback from families about how these inclusive spaces and tools will support them in bringing their own coping strategies into the medical setting, to provide a positive and safe experience.’    Thank you to Ronald McDonald House Charities for helping us create calm and comfort on the ward 💙 

🚑 Australia’s second Mobile Stroke Unit (MSU) is helping Monash Health save lives in Melbourne’s south-east.   The MSU brings hospital-grade care to the doorsteps of patients with suspected stroke in a 20-kilometre radius of Dandenong.   🧠⏱️ Since its rollout in December, the specialist unit has rapidly diagnosed and treated stroke patients on the roadside and transported them to Monash Medical Centre for world-class care.   The MSU is dispatched by Ambulance Victoria. It’s an initiative run in collaboration with The Royal Melbourne Hospital, Stroke Foundation and others.   The MSU helped 50-year-old father, Shane Allan, when he had a stroke at home.   To read about Shane’s experience and learn how the MSU is supporting the work of Monash Health’s expert stroke team, head to: https://lnkd.in/ggiPkJg7   #Stroke #StokeAwareness #FAST

Rolling into communities and rolling up their sleeves, the Community Assessment and Response Team (CART) is changing lives one bus stop at a time. 🚍🌟  The Primary Care Support and Proactive Management and Support teams from CART have just driven home a STAR Award for ‘Improving Care and Access’!  These teams are making a real difference for some of our community’s most vulnerable people.  Through the Green Cross Bus Project, CART hit the road and visited community organisations, neighbourhood centres, places of worship and support hubs, bringing health education and support to where it’s needed most.  Congratulations to CART! Your commitment to innovation, teamwork and compassion truly embodies the spirit of the STAR Awards. 🏆

We are very proud to celebrate Mel Schubert from Monash Newborn – NEST, who has been awarded the Neonatal Nurse Family Appreciation Award by the Australian College of Neonatal Nurses (ACNN).  This annual award recognises a neonatal nurse who has delivered exceptional care and support to families and their infants during their time in a neonatal unit. Nominated directly by families, the accolade highlights exemplary compassionate and family-centred care. This year, Mel was selected from 30 nominations submitted by families Australia-wide.  In a fitting tribute, the award was presented on World Prematurity Day, November 17th, a day dedicated to generating awareness of the challenges faced by premature babies and honouring the work of neonatal teams across the world. Mel said receiving the award was deeply meaningful.  'This is the reason we do what we do,' she said. 'To know that a family felt so supported means so much.' We congratulate Mel on this national achievement and celebrate the dedication she brings to the Monash Newborn team and the families she supports every day 👏 💚 #monashnewborn #neonatalnursefamilyappreciationaward #australiancollegeofneonatalnurses 

Meet 3-year-old twins Lola and Shelby 💙    These precious girls are now inseparable, but they spent the first two months of their lives apart.   Born at a small weight of 2.3kg, unable to eat or breathe normally, Lola was immediately transferred to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at Monash Children’s Hospital to undergo life-saving surgery and care.    She was diagnosed with Tracheoesohageal Fistula and Oesphageal Atresia (TOF/OA), a rare condition affecting the structure of her food pipe and airway.     ‘We have spent so much time in the care of the Monash Children’s Hospital and different specialties, we even celebrated our older son Louis’ birthday by Lola’s bedside,’ said Lola’s mum, Kate.      ‘The hospital was a second home and a vital part of keeping Lola healthy – we are so grateful for her wonderful surgeon and specialists’.      Today, Lola is a happy, bright toddler, keeping up with her twin sister and big brother, and all the fun to be had.     ‘Lola’s Team’ joined us at this year’s Monash Children’s Hospital Walk to help raise funds for our special hospital and support world-class care for more patients and families.     ⭐ We’re excited to be hosting the Monash Children’s Hospital Walk back at Jells Park, on Sunday, 1 March 2026! ⭐    You can now get your team together to join us for a fun day out, all for a great cause, by registering today: www.mchwalk.com.au 🚶♀️👨🏼🦽

We’re proud to announce that Professor Stephen Nicholls, Director of the Victorian Heart Hospital and Monash Victorian Heart Institute, and Professor Helena Teede AM, Monash Health Endocrinologist and Director of the Monash Centre for Health Research and Implementation, have both been named a 2025 Clarivate Highly Cited Researcher – a prestigious global list.   This distinction highlights acknowledges researchers whose work ranks in the top 1% of cited papers worldwide, reflecting deep and lasting impact across their fields.   Selection is based not only on citation data from the Web of Science Core Collection but also on expert judgment and qualitative review, recognising those shaping the future of medicine and discovery.  Both Professor Nicholls and Professor Teede were also listed on the Stanford University/Elsevier Top 2% Scientists List for 2025, along with 14 colleagues from Monash Health.  👏 Congratulations to Steve, Helena and our remarkable teams for advancing knowledge that changes lives and delivering tomorrow’s care, today.  To read more, please see the link in our comments  🔗

At Monash Health, we take pride in our compassionate care extending beyond medical treatment to involve comfort, dignity, and small but meaningful human touches. Among the many people that help us deliver this care are volunteers from the Knit4Charities group.     Knit4Charities was founded by Sue and Suse, who sought to create a generous and touching initiative that sparked wonder and delight on our wards. Every week, the group’s volunteers gather their yarns, needles, and endless goodwill to craft blankets and sensory mats for patients across our hospitals. Each piece is handmade with care and brings colour and calm into our wards. For patients and their families, these knitted gifts are tangible expressions of love, empathy, and community.    Our Monash Health team is deeply grateful to Sue and the Knit4Charities team for their ongoing support, as their contributions allow us to provide an extra layer of care at some of life’s most delicate moments. The blankets cover our patients in warmth and reassurance, while the sensory mats bring comfort to those experiencing restlessness or anxiety.    Every stitch represents a volunteer’s time, heart, and hope for someone they may never meet.Knit4Charities has become an essential part of the Monash Health family, helping us to uphold our mission of compassionate person-centered care.    We thank Knit4Charities for their immense generosity, creativity, partnership, and the comfort they bring to our patients and their loved ones. Your kindness is woven into every moment of care we provide #knit4charities #monashhealth 

Mitchell’s life was transformed by world-class care at Monash Children’s Hospital/Monash Health.   From a lifesaving diagnosis before birth, thanks to prenatal genetic testing, to an Australian-first treatment at 2 weeks old, his journey is one of hope and medical brilliance.   ‘Mitchell’s case demonstrates the power of genomic sequencing. It allows us to be proactive in the care we provide, and that’s a game-changer,’ Dr Andrew Fennell, Interim Director of General Genetics at Monash Health, told the Herald Sun.    Read more about Mitchell’s story and the amazing team behind his care for the rare blood disorder, congenital thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (cTTP) at: https://lnkd.in/gG2NuK7E 

For more than two decades, Kids With Cancer Foundation Australia has stood with Monash Children's Hospital as a true founding partner – helping to provide care, support and hope to families facing a cancer diagnosis at every step of their journey 💙    Their generosity has helped ensure that families at Monash Children's Cancer Centre receive more than just medical treatment, funding clinical roles, research, and providing financial support when families need it most.    ‘Every day, Kids with Cancer Foundation’s generosity makes a difference in the lives of our patients, their families, and our care teams at Monash Children's Cancer Centre,’ said Dr Michelle Martin, Director of Paediatric Oncology at Monash Children’s Cancer Centre.    ‘They have always been dedicated to understanding the everyday needs of families facing cancer and the ways they can support our service to make a very real and meaningful difference.’     Since 2004, Kids with Cancer Foundation has contributed over $5 million in funding and future commitments. An extraordinary achievement, enabling us to transform care for our patients ✨    ‘By funding the vital roles of a Clinical Research Nurse, Clinical Nurse Consultant, Neuropsychologist and Social Worker, our care teams can focus not only on treatment but on supporting the whole family and their lives outside of the hospital too.’     A heartfelt thank you to Kids with Cancer Foundation - this milestone is shared by every child, parent, and clinician whose journey you’ve made lighter. 

Meet Effie 🤍     When standard treatments couldn’t stop the spread of Effie Atkins’ cancer, she chose to enrol in a clinical trial at Monash Health.     Nine years on, the 74-year-old is still the life of the party, and inspiring her community to give, so others can have access to the same opportunity she did.    We celebrated Effie’s ‘Dr Hope’ Fundraiser at Vanilla Lounge in Oakleigh, over the spring racing season, where she brought together her friends, family, community and oncology team for a fabulous day out to support innovative research and additional clinical roles at Monash Health’s Cancer Clinical Trials Centre.    The event was the perfect reflection of Effie’s warmth and bright spirit, with Greek dancing, singing, delicious food and fabulous fashion! 💃    ‘We are absolutely thrilled with the outcome of the Dr Hope Fundraiser. The generosity and passion shown by Effie and our community will have a lasting impact on cancer research at Monash Health and the care we provide our community,’ said John De Rango, Director of Monash Health Foundation.     ‘We extend our heartfelt thanks to Effie, her family and friends, and everyone who contributed to this beautiful event. Their dedication in raising over $42,000 to support access to Cancer Clinical Trials at Monash Health is truly a gift of hope.’    ‘This extraordinary achievement is a testament to what can be accomplished when people come together to make a meaningful difference in the lives of others.’