CHRIS SYMONS Chair from the chair T.H.A.T Foundation is now starting to become better known within the community and as such, the number of requests for funding is increasing every month. It is heartbreaking whenever we have to knock back a request for funds which makes it even more important for the industry to continue supporting the foundation in any way they can. T.H.A.T have now donated over $45,000 dollars to children in need and every donation has made significant impact on children and their families. On behalf of all these recipients I would like to thank you all for your support. Donations Over the past two months we have supported two more children doing it tough. Riely suffers from Short Gut Syndrome meaning he loses a varying amount of fresh blood in his stools on a daily basis. He needs to be taken to hospital for a blood test whenever he is tired and looking pale, regardless of when he last had blood or Iron as he is at risk of unpredictable drops in his haemoglobin and urgent blood transfusions. Sometimes, his haemoglobin is fine and he is pale and tired for another reason, (poor sleep or a simple cold
strip and know immediately if he needs to go into hospital or stay home safely and get some rest. It will also benefit him when he is feeling well but away from home to be able to do a routine check on his heamoglobin and not have to search out a local hospital or pathology service when he could be enjoying his good days. George’s Illness was first detected the week before Easter when George had what they thought was gastro. After ten days with no improvement and a huge weight loss, his parents asked for a second opinion which they received, followed by a MRI scan on Good Friday 2016 that showed George had a very large stage 3, Level 4 cancer tumour on the base of his brain stem. George only turned one on April 22nd this year and by this time he had already started chemo. George has completed four rounds of chemo so far and each one of them has had complications. George has struggled a lot through his treatments being so small and so young. His heart has caused his family many a scary night, with many blood transfusions needed daily to keep it pumping. The current chemo is so toxic that George needs to be bathed every five hours and all bedding and clothing destroyed. The chemo is burning him as the chemicals come through to his skin which is why he needs to be bathed so often.
coming on) and sometimes he does indeed require another blood transfusion earlier than anticipated.
Apart from the obvious emotional cost to the entire family, the financial cost is huge and ongoing with the continued treatments and therapy George will need. Living in Melbourne is not cheap and at the same time they need to continue paying all their bills back here in Hobart, including the family mortgage. The therapy George will need to teach him to eat again, walk and talk is not all available here in Tasmania. The focus is to ensure they can keep their family home in Howrah so the children have the security of being able to return to their own bedrooms after travel to Melbourne for treatments. If you know of any children requiring
assistance and/or are able to support with donations please do not hesitate to contact me (0408 075 734 or csymons@goodstart.org.au ) or one of the other board members to discuss if we can assist.
With T.H.A.T supporting the purchase of his own Haemacue-Radiometer, this will improve Riely's quality of life enormously. It is a straightforward machine, like a Blood Glucose monitor, used by diabetics for their blood glucose, only for measurement of haemoglobin. This way, Riely can do a simple fingerpick drop of blood on a test
14
Hospitality Review
Made with FlippingBook flipbook maker