This week Wishlist launched Gympie’s Wishlist Giving Day, a 12-hour digital fundraising appeal to raise funds for Gympie patients and families.
Last year’s fundraiser was thwarted due to the devastating Gympie floods, but this year’s appeal is back bigger than ever.
Wishlist Partnerships & Fundraising Manager Lisa Wilson said the appeal was similar to a telethon where volunteers and businesses call their networks to donate to Wishlist on one day only – Thursday March 23.
“Wishlist Giving Day is the community’s only chance to make double the difference during this special 12-hour appeal,” Ms Wilson said.
“Thanks to generous corporate matchers like ConBuild, Foam & Rubber Industries, Sunshine Toyota, Protector Aluminium, Exemplar Health and more – donations gifted on Thursday, March 23 will be matched.
“That means every dollar you give is doubled to make a very real difference to Gympie patients and families.”
The brave face of Wishlist Giving Day this year is five-year-old Archer who was born with two rare genetic conditions - Congenital Central Hypoventilation Syndrome (CCHS) and Hirschsprung’s Disease which threaten to cut short his young life every day
Archer Howe, from Tewantin, was born at the Sunshine Coast University Hospital (SCUH) but stopped breathing soon after birth and was rushed into Intensive Care.
Instead of spending precious moments holding their first-born, parents Summer and Tom Howe’s baby boy spent his first night without them as he was rushed to a major hospital in Brisbane.
What followed was nine months of life-saving care for Archer, surgery at just four days old, another surgery to insert a tracheostomy to allow Archer to breathe, and the scary prospect of an unknown future.
For four years, Archer and his parents lived in Brisbane until specific paediatric medical equipment was purchased locally, and specialised support workers could be trained to help Archer.
“Archer’s breathing problems are due to CCHS, a condition which affects the nervous system and the brain’s ability to regulate breathing,” Summer says.
“Every night, a specialised nurse comes to our home to monitor Archer as he sleeps because he has to be connected to a ventilator for life support – if this is dislodged during his sleep, he can’t breathe.”
In December 2021, Summer and Tom received the happy news that Archer could finally return home because Wishlist had purchased inter-hospital transfer equipment for the Critical Care Unit at SCUH, worth $130,000.
“We are so grateful that Wishlist purchased the equipment which meant not just Archer, but other critically ill kids could be transported safely when they need care.”
On March 23, Wishlist hopes to raise over $200,000 to fund a long list of ‘Wish List’ items including medical equipment, infrastructure upgrades at Gympie Hospital, patient and carer accommodation when travelling to the Coast for medical treatment, research and more.
Create your Wishlist Giving Day team today at wishlist.org.au and make a tax-deductible donation on Thursday, March 23.
Proudly supported by Gympie Today.
