"Care and expertise at PCH"

This message is very overdue however we would like to offer our sincerest thanks to multiple teams at PCH who have been so pivotal in the care of our son since his birth in February 2021.

Our son has a rare condition yet to be diagnosed and as a result, we have met just about everyone at PCH including Neonatology, Haematology, Neurology, Cardiology, ENT, Gastroenterology, Respiratory Medicine, Genetics, Radiology, Immunology, Endocrinology, Rheumatology, Speech Pathology and Physiotherapy, with the care of our son is now also overseen by Vascular Surgery at Charlie Gardiner together with Neurointerventional Radiology.

We have also been with Hospital in the Home (HITH) for over eight months, made multiple trips to ED and had multiple hospital admissions, not including spending almost a month in NICU shortly following the birth of our son and transfer to PCH via the incredible NETTS team.

As a result of the above, we feel very honoured to be able to acknowledge the extraordinary level of care and concern which our son has received from doctors, nurses and other healthcare workers. We know this is due to the professionalism and commitment of the individuals employed at PCH. We are very aware of the challenges within the health care system and are so deeply grateful for the level of care our son has received despite these difficulties through the efforts of so many individuals who have helped saved and continue to save his life.

Words will never capture the full extent of our gratitude and we pray for our son’s medical team daily and given thanks for their efforts, time and care. We first experienced this in NICU under the extraordinary care of Consultants Dr Dimple and Dr Sam under the watchful eye of the head of NICU, Dr Rebecca. They are also supported by an incredible team of doctors. These are the people you want caring for your child at 5am when their life is on the line. We can offer no higher praise or thanksgiving than this. We continue to see Dr Dimple at outpatients and she is undoubtedly one of the smartest, warmest people we have ever met. We feel so overwhelming blessed that our son continues to be in her care.

We were also so privileged to meet the most extraordinary nurses in NICU, most especially Hannah, Erin and Bec who cared for our son while he was there. They were everything you could hope for in expertise, care and compassion – and then more. We also remember with great gratitude nurses Daisy, Alessia, Alyssa, Mikaela, Meg, Jessica, Karin, Sarah and Donna – a very special person. It is so hard to leave your child in NICU even for a few hours to get some sleep. Knowing our child was in the care of Hannah, Bec and Erin (and later Donna), with Dr Dimple and Dr Sam on hand, was the only way we as parents could ever close our eyes.

We also remember with extraordinary gratitude Dr Andrew who provided an urgent Cardiology consult for our son when he was first admitted and who together with Dr David, Cardiothorasic Surgeon, provided care to our son and support to us parents during terrible times of uncertainty and fear, often at the expense of their personal time. We have continued to see both Dr Andrew and Dr David in the following months as outpatients and like Dr Dimple and Dr Sam, these are the people you want caring for your child. Professional, trustworthy, honest and brilliant – simply extraordinary human beings.

We have also received the most fantastic level of care and support imaginable from the Haematology team ever since our son’s birth. Words will never adequately express our thanks to the team under Dr Tina– Dr Carly, Dr Elishka and Dr Vanessa. We see these four wonderful doctors on a very regular basis and the quality of care they have given us is absolutely outstanding. They work long hours and together with Haemotology Nurses Natalie and Stacey, have provided care and support to our son that every parent wants. The Haematology team has been with us right from the start of our journey in NICU and the many long nights, tests, hospital stays, clinic appointments and questions ever since. We are beyond grateful for their support.

We also see the HITH team very regularly and have always been bowled over by the level of care, kindness and cheerfulness that these amazing nurses provide. Jen, Jo, Alison, Nicki, Sue, Ele, Di, Jessica – the nurses who’s names we have unfortunately forgotten – they provide outstanding care 7 days a week and often at short notice. They work long days, drive long distances and yet never feel like strangers in your home but angels disguised in blue uniforms.

There are so many people who’s names we have not included in the above - Dr Joe and Dr Tim, for example, who patiently answer our many questions and now lead our son’s care with a level of detail and support that is absolutely incredible. Other individuals - Dr Jonathon (Neurology), Professor Derek (Radiology), Dr Cathy (Genetics), Dr Kevin (Rheumatology), the entire ENT team, Dr Andrew (Resp Med), Dr Marcelo (Gaestro), Maxine (Physiotherapy), Sharon (Social Worker), Leanne and the entire Medical Imaging team - and very special thanks also to Central Veinous Nurse Deb who has supported us during difficult CTs together with the duty anesthetists Sam, Martyn and Casey from KKIND - we can honestly recommend all these professionals as first class.

We could give multiple examples of kindness and professionalism from every single one of these individuals above and so many other people (eg Emergency, the extraordinary nurses on Ward 1A and the entire Pathwest team we have encountered) who continue to walk with us on this uncertain journey. We are so blessed our son is cared for at PCH. He is here because of your time, commitment, expertise and hard work – your investigating, communicating and courage.

Thank you, from the bottom of our hearts.