Our Voice summer 2019

Christmas message from the Group CEO

This year, Mercy Health has been busy progressing important milestones in our ongoing mission to bring God’s mercy to those in need.

We celebrated 25 years of Werribee Mercy Hospital serving the Wyndham community and the opening of an exciting new Paediatric Ward in August. We also integrated the small household living approach into a further three of our Residential Aged Care homes — Mercy Place Montrose in Victoria, Mercy Place Mount St Joseph’s in Young, NSW, and Mercy Place Albury, NSW. In June, The Mercy Health Breastmilk Bank expanded to satellite sites at Monash Children’s Hospital, followed by The Royal Children’s Hospital and The Royal Women’s Hospital. This important collaboration will provide access to pasteurised donor milk for more sick and very premature infants across the state and has paved the way for other providers to develop similar services across the country.

Stephen Cornelissen talking with Sr Moira Sheedy RSM

We are looking ahead to 2020 when we will celebrate 100 years since the Sisters of Mercy opened their first Victorian hospital, St Benedict’s in Malvern, where the Mercy Health story began. I encourage you to celebrate this milestone with us by sharing your Mercy memories and stories on our centenary website: mercyhealth100years.com.au

While Christmas is a good opportunity to spend time with our nearest and dearest, it is also particularly important to share the Christmas spirit with those who are less fortunate. I invite you join us in our mission to care for the most vulnerable people in our community this Christmas. The Mercy Health Foundation Christmas Appeal is asking for donations to its Compassionate Support Fund, which supports some of the most vulnerable people in our care — financially and socially disadvantaged patients, residents, clients and their immediate families who are going through particularly hard times. If you would like to make a donation, visit Mercy Health Foundation.

On behalf of the Mercy Health Board and Executives, I wish you all a peaceful, hopeful, happy and safe Christmas and New Year.

Adjunct Professor Stephen Cornelissen

Group Chief Executive Officer

Calista returns to Werribee Mercy Hospital to say ‘thanks’!

A seven-year-old girl has made an emotional return to Werribee Mercy Hospital to thank staff members of the Paediatric Ward and the Emergency Department for saving her life after she suffered an unexpected cardiac arrest earlier this year.

Calista returns to Werribee Mercy Hospital to say ‘thanks’!

Bringing comfort and joy to those in need

For this year's Christmas Appeal, Mercy Health Foundation is calling for donations to its Compassionate Support Fund to assist our residents, clients, patients and their families who are experiencing social and financial hardship this Christmas season. A particularly poignant example of such hardship is the social disconnection and loneliness many people from across our services experience during the festive season.

Bringing comfort and joy to those in need

A collaboration to nourish our smallest and most vulnerable babies

This year — after three years of planning — The Mercy Health Breastmilk Bank launched satellite sites at Monash Children’s Hospital, The Royal Children’s Hospital and The Royal Women’s Hospital. This important collaboration will provide access to pasteurised donor milk for sick and very premature infants whose own mothers have difficulty supplying sufficient breastmilk.

A collaboration to nourish our smallest and most vulnerable babies