On Sunday 24 April at 11 am, Britney Allen successfully completed a 200km run from Mansfield to Melbourne raising more than $27,000 and counting for the RCH.

Britney crossed the finish line with a big grin and a thumbs up at the RCH main entrance to a crowd of over 30 supporters. The event was an emotional one for Britney, her supporters and especially her parents.

Britney’s Dad, Neil recently told us, “To see the journey of what Britney did will change us forever. There were times when all we wanted to do was pick her up and carry her because of her pain, but she was so determined to do it herself for the hospital, and she did it! Both Jodie and I are of the opinion that the word proud just doesn’t cut it."

At the finish line, Neil thanked all those involved, particularly his three other daughters for all the “help and commitment they have showed Britney on this endeavour.”

Britney ran in honour of her sister Zoe, who has been an RCH Plastic and Maxillofacial Surgery patient since she was born. At birth Zoe was diagnosed with a bilateral Tessier facial cleft, which left her with a large gap where her facial features failed to meet during in utero development. Zoe has undergone multiple surgeries to construct facial features and will continue to do so until she stops growing.

When we first met Britney we asked her why she was running for Zoe. She told us, “It’s to make people aware, that just because their face is broken, doesn’t mean they aren’t normal. It was also my way of thanking the hospital on behalf of my family for the amazing work they have done to help my sister.”

In memory of their son Finnan, Alisa and Oliver Camplin-Warner recently presented RCH Cardiology with a $150,000 cheque. This outstanding contribution will enable the hospital to purchase state of the art Heart Arrhythmia equipment. The donation brings the total amount raised by Finnan’s Gift since 2011 to more than $1.25 million.

Arrhythmia in children is a potentially life threatening condition where abnormal electrical impulses cause the patients’ heart to beat irregularly. This cutting edge technology identifies and destroys the abnormal electrical impulses that cause Heart Arrhythmia with incredible accuracy, enabling the RCH to successfully treat more cardiac patients, improve recovery times and reduce stress on families.

Alisa recently told us, “We are so proud to be able to honour Finnan’s memory in this way and to support so many patients and their families at the RCH.”

Distinguished Melbourne artist Mark Schaller’s stunning portrait of friend and fellow artist David Larwill could be yours.

A collector’s piece, the portrait is being auctioned by the Arts Series Hotel Group to raise money for the RCH. The 150cm x 120cm portrait was painted live at the opening of The Larwill Studio’s restaurant, Smith + Singleton. This vibrant and engaging portrait is an ode to the longstanding friendship between the two artists and cofounders of Melbourne’s iconic Roar Studios.

Bidding on this impressive artwork has already started and will run until Saturday 28 May at 5pm. To lodge your bid, click below.

Cutting-edge research projects are crucial to the RCH. Not only do they attract the best and brightest to work at the hospital, they fuel breakthroughs that help children get better and go home faster. This is amplified by the fact that campus partners, like Murdoch Childrens Research Institute (MCRI) work so closely with the RCH, allowing ground-breaking research to be put into practice quickly.

In order to get a number of research projects off the ground, the RCH Foundation and MCRI combined forces and split their first-year funding. Both organisations granted $25,000 to each project and the investment has paid off. In total, the funded projects featured in 43 medical and scientific publications, resulted in two significant genetic discoveries, obtained three coveted National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) grants, received one NHMRC Fellowship, secured almost $660,000 in external competitive grant funding, and have provided the basis for ongoing knowledge creation.

Dame Elisabeth Murdoch Fundraising Luncheon
Support RCH nurses at this annual luncheon, which funds a $50,000 scholarship to advance nursing excellence at the hospital. Hosted by Channel 7 Health Editor Dr Andrew Rochford, featuring entertainment by Richard Thomas and a fascinating talk by guest speaker Baroness Susan Greenfield CBE, it promises to be an invigorating afternoon. For tickets, click here.

Great Amazing Race
Fundraise and fun-run around Melbourne to help the hospital! The annual Great Amazing Race will have you deciphering clues and solving puzzles as you (re)discover the city and complete awesome activities to finish the race. To learn more and register, click here.