On Monday 21 September, Northern Health Foundation welcomed supporters, clinicians and members of the Northern Health community to our 2026 Donor Thank You event – an evening celebrating the generosity of the community and the difference it is making for patients, families and staff across Northern Health.

While our supporters may each have their own reason for giving, their collective impact is significant. Between 2025 and 2026, Northern Health Foundation distributed over $1 million to support patient care, research, innovation and staff excellence across our sites – made possible through the generosity of our community.

That support is helping to transform healthcare in ways that will be felt for years to come.  A $500,000 contribution towards the da Vinci surgical robot is helping Northern Health deliver advanced robotic-assisted surgery. For patients, this can mean fewer complications, shorter hospital stays and a quicker return to everyday life.

Support from our community has also helped provide specialist equipment for our Children’s and Maternity wards, helping our smallest and most vulnerable patients receive the best possible care when they need it most. And through a partnership with RMIT, Northern Health is leading the PANDA research project, exploring the potential benefits of using acupuncture to help manage acute pain for patients presenting to the Emergency Department.

These are just three examples of what happens when a community comes together to support its health service.

“Our community continues to grow, and so too does the need for exceptional healthcare close to home. Thanks to our supporters, we are able to go beyond what is possible through government funding and invest in opportunities that help transform care for generations to come,” said Debra Bourne, Chief Executive, Northern Health.

The evening also allowed supporters to hear directly from the people delivering care and driving innovation across Northern Health.

Dr Dennis Gyomber, Divisional Director, Surgery; Dr David Tran, Divisional Director, Women & Children’s Health; and Melissa Gwynne, Nurse Unit Manager, Day Oncology Unit, joined a panel discussion exploring the important work happening across our clinical areas and the difference community support can make for patients, families and our health service.

For our supporters, it was an opportunity to see that their generosity is more than a donation. It is equipment in the hands of a clinician. It is research that could change how care is delivered. It is a more comfortable experience for a child and their family. It is an investment in the future of healthcare in the North.

As Pina Di Donato, Executive Director, Public Affairs & Foundation, reflected during the evening, “Health is often measured in beds, buildings, treatments and outcomes. But the true measure of healthcare is people. We have heard many stories this evening. And every one of those stories is stronger because of our supporters. Thank you for believing in Northern Health and the community we serve.”

Thank you to every member of our community who helps make this impact possible.
Because of you, we can do more.