Recent Articles
Answers to your questions about Motor Ne...
Global Motor Neurone Disease (MND) Awareness Day was marked this week, so Wishlist asked one of its partners, Prestige Inhome Care, to answer some of the frequently asked questions about supporting a loved one who has been diagnosed with MND. This is Prestige’s quick guide to accessing in-home MND care. Around 2,700 Australians are estimated to be living with MND . Receiving an MND diagnosis can be devastating, but you don’t need to navigate the disease alone. Here is an easy-to-follow guide on accessing MND care at home. What is Motor Neurone Disease? Motor neurone disease (MND) refers to a group of neurological disorders that damages motor neurones which carry messages to and from the brain through the spinal cord. It is a life-limiting disease with no known cure at this time. As the disease progresses, there is a decline in movement and independence. As a result, people living with MND may begin to struggle with speaking, swallowing and breathing, with symptoms worsening over time. MND Australia The national network of State MND Associations (MND Australia) offers support for people affected by Motor Neurone Disease across Australia. Each state MND Association offers a different range of services for people living with MND, their caregivers and family members. Some of the key services they offer include education and training, information and resources, support accessing assistive technology (AT), support groups and support with navigating healthcare and government services. You can call the MND Info Line: 1800 777 175 to find out more about available services. Funding for people living with MND For individuals diagnosed with MND under the age of 65, the NDIS provides funding for a range of different supports to meet their reasonable and necessary needs. Services provided through the NDIS for people living with MND include support coordination, personal care, allied health assessment and support, home modifications and assistive technology, and non-invasive ventilation. For individuals diagnosed with MND aged 65 years or over, there are 2 main types of My Aged Care Support: 1. Support at Home Program 2. Commonwealth Home Support Program Priority access to aged care support for Australians with MND On 3 June, 2026 the Government announced amended Aged Care Rules to recognise MND as warranting urgent priority for Support at Home. This means that older Australians with MND are given priority access to the program. This is in line with the prioritisation pathway that is currently available to people living with MND in the NDIS.
Another big step towards region's first ...
The first BiPlane, a clot retrieval service to treat stroke patients, is just months away from the start of installation. We are so happy to report that: • The design and positioning of the biplane have been finalised, and services have been aligned to suit existing infrastructure • The location for the 3-D imaging BiPlane Unit in the Sunshine Coast University Hospital has been confirmed • construction is well underway at that future site - the contractor has completed demolition, slab preparation, core hole drilling and medical gas works. Construction activities are on track • Clinical teams have selected the lighting and supporting equipment to maximise the safe and effective use of the Biplane Unit. • The Information Communication Technology has finalised the AV requirements • Sunshine Coast Health is working towards delivery of the Biplane by the end of August. • Installation and commissioning activities will commence in September. We are so grateful to have been able to purchase the life-saving equipment through the donations of businesses like yours and the Sunshine Coast and Gympie communities. Regional Australians are 17% more likely to experience a stroke than those in metro areas. Currently, severe stroke and aneurysm patients in this region must endure a critical 90-minute ambulance or airlift transfer to Brisbane. The BiPlane is a high-tech medical imaging machine that provides 3D, real-time visuals of blood vessels in the brain, allowing surgeons to quickly locate and remove blockages. When stroke hits every minute counts- and this equipment will often be the difference between life and death, or life and serious impairment for many stroke patients on the Sunshine Coast and in Gympie.
Mural with a meaning
Many months spent in hospital as a child inspired Josh Wright to become an artist – and he’s now using those skills to help patients and their families get through challenging moments at Dove House, Caloundra’s palliative care centre. Josh was commissioned to paint a mural at the facility, courtesy of funds raised at Dove House and facilitated by Wishlist. “They wanted an Australian forest mural that was dramatic, mystical, enchanted,” Josh said. “It started with wallabies and cassowaries and cockatoos, and when they wanted more animals, I added king parrots and crimson rosellas. “The more you look at it, the more you see. “Having grown up in a children's hospital myself, I got to see how art and rehabilitation and recovery and healing can help this collaborative effort.
Perfect score for Wishlist Cafes' health...
A shoutout to all our Wishlist coffee house staff and volunteers who helped Sunshine Coast Health get a perfect score in the A Better Choice Annual Audit of Food & Drink Supply. The audit measures Sunshine Coast Health’s ability to provide staff and visitors with access to healthy, appealing and reasonably priced food and drink options. The 100 per cent result is up from 84 per cent in 2024 and 45 per cent in 2022.
Heartbreak inspires newest Therapy Dog t...
Heartbreak inspired Miranda Rowlands to sign up Shogun for the Wishlist Therapy dog, powered by Petstock, now she couldn’t imagine life without their twice-weekly visits to patients. When Miranda’s husband George was diagnosed with a one-in-a-million cancer he spent his dying days in the Dove Palliative Care Unit in Caloundra. She vowed she would find a way to recognise all the doctors and nurses who went above and beyond for her husband.
92.7 MIX FM's Give Me 5 is bigger and be...
The iconic 92.7 MIX FM Give Me 5 fundraisers is back, bigger and better. The traditional month-long event has been extended in 2026 to a whole year of activities - raising funds for Wishlist to help sick kids and their families on the Sunshine Coast. 92.7 MIX FM has officially launched the extravaganza of fun, including a calendar of events on the Sunshine Coast which provides locals with ample opportunities to support even better health care close to home.
How to arrange palliative care in the ho...
If you are faced with the challenge of assisting your loved one to transition from hospital to home for palliative care you may not know where to start. Here is a step-by-step guide to arranging in-home palliative care to help you navigate the process.
Who will you be running for in Wishlist'...
Cancer has touched so many of us in some way – so the question we ask as we approach the Wishlist K’s for Cancer event – is who will you run for? Tragically, about 50,000 Australians lose their lives to cancer each year – so, this year for the return of Wishlist’s K’s for Cancer we’re asking entrants to dedicate their run or walk to a loved one, a friend, or a neighbour who has faced cancer.
Gympie Wishlist Giving Day to change liv...
A new service at Gympie Hospital to support women in the early stages of pregnancy has helped more than 60 patients in just six months – and there are now plans to expand it. The Gympie Wishlist Giving Day on 7 May will raise funds for a dedicated ultrasound and a gynaecology chair for the Early Pregnancy Assessment Service.
Wishlist Giving Day in Gympie to raise f...
A mum has called Gympie Hospital’s Early Pregnancy Assessment Service a life saver and life changer – and has joined the push to provide it with additional medical equipment.
Near-death experience inspires Gympie Ho...
A security guard at the Gympie Hospital has urged people to give generously at the upcoming Wishlist Giving Day in Gympie (7 May) after requiring life-saving care at the hospital he works in.
Once in a lifetime opportunity to ride i...
You could be in the passenger's seat for a ride in this Toyota Gazoo Racing Australia rally car
Sunshine Coast mum makes impassioned ple...
National recognition for great friend of...
Travis Schultz, Sunshine Coast lawyer, businessman, community benefactor and now a holder of the Medal for the Order of Australia (OAM). Travis was the organising Chair for the inaugural Wishlist Spring Carnival held in 2009 and remained in that role until 2015.
New one-armed wheelchair improves stroke...
A Caboolture father is reclaiming his independence after becoming one of the first stroke patients at the Sunshine Coast University Hospital to use a one-armed wheelchair, funded by the Buderim Foundation.
Volunteering at Wishlist gives this reti...
After Cheryl Jeynes retired from running an outdoor furniture business with her husband, it would have been easy to just put her feet up. But when she discovered Wishlist, Cheryl knew she had a higher purpose – volunteering.
Do you need a little extra help these ho...
The holiday season is meant to be joyful, a time for family, laughter, and shared traditions. But if you or your loved one is living with a chronic illness, recovering from a hospital stay, or managing complex health needs, the festive period can feel overwhelming. The good news? With the right support, you can still enjoy the holidays and spend quality time with the people you love - without placing extra stress on family caregivers.
Our very own Mrs Claus makes Christmas a...
Wishlist has collected gifts for patients staying in hospital during the festive season for years, but in 2022 when Kerri Cavanagh joined the team, Christmas was changed forever. While we already received many donations each Christmas, Kerri saw an opportunity to expand the operation.
Wishlist’s inaugural Giving Tree provi...
Being in hospital is hard enough for patients and their families, and it’s even more difficult during the festive season. Wishlist has launched its inaugural Giving Tree, so together we can help improve experiences for patients on the Sunshine Coast this Christmas.
Christmas comes early thanks to Brisbane...
The Brisbane Broncos surprised young patients staying at the Sunshine Coast University Hospital, to deliver gifts in the lead up to Christmas. Former NRL player Jack Reed, premiership winning women’s player Romy Teitzel and Sunshine Coast Falcons players Zion Johnson and Josh Lynn, joined forces to spread festive cheer in the paediatric ward.
