PHILANTHROPYour guests to the house, right through
to the way we promote the work we do
among the community, ensuring its
sustainability. It also means we consistently
connect with, understand, respond to and
engage with all our stakeholders in every
aspect of our service.”
Until the creation of Hummingbird House,
there was no children’s hospice in
Queensland to offer community-based
short-break stays and care at the end of life
for children and their families. Adults have
always had the choice of care at home, in
hospital or in a hospice, whereas children
typically have to spend their last days in
hospital. Gabrielle notes that choice is such
an important part of the process when faced
with a devastating diagnosis.
“So much is out of their control, but
Hummingbird House offers them a chance to
regain a sense of choice and control,” she
explains. “The most important question we
ask the child and their family is: ‘How can we
help you?’ We don’t make assumptions about
what a child or their carer needs, we make
sure we ask that same question to everyone
in the family — mum and dad, brothers and
sisters, grandparents and others who are
important to the child. We enable kids to be
kids, regardless of their diagnosis, and we
create an opportunity for families to
reconnect and give them space to create
precious memories. It’s all about tailored care
and treasured moments.”
Dr Fiona Hawthorne joined Hummingbird
House in June this year as its General
Manager. After three decades in healthcare,
she recognised there was a great need for a
facility of this kind in Queensland and was
therefore keen to get involved. “I hold a Bob
and June Prickett Churchill Fellowship in
Perinatal Palliative Care, which — combined
with my PhD — means I have quite an
in-depth understanding of what an effective
support service should offer families who are
living with, and loving a child unlikely to
reach adulthood,” she says. “Given my area of
expertise, I was invited to speak at a
conference in Melbourne, where I met
Gabrielle. Following on from this, we formed
a strong collegial relationship, leading to an
invitation to join the clinical advisory
committee for Hummingbird House. This led
me to realise that, with the combination of
Paul and Gabrielle’s personal and
professional attributes, and an excellent
group of clinical advisors, Hummingbird
House was always going to become a reality.
Paul and Gabrielle’s vision has evolved to be
the vision of many. I am very grateful to have
been appointed to lead this much-needed
service for Queensland.”Hummingbird House is about to launch its
‘3,700’ campaign. With that many children
living with life-limiting conditions in
Queensland, the aim is to encourage the
same number of Australians to donate $37
a month to the organisation. In just one year,
this would raise $1.6 million to support
children with life-limiting conditions, as well
as their families and carers.“Working together we can ensure these
families have opportunities to access 24/7
short-stay breaks for the whole family,” Fiona
says. “We can ensure children can have a
break from hospitals and daily routines, and
that parents have the opportunity to gain a
few hours of undisturbed sleep. This means
there is the chance to be a parent to all their
children rather than the exhausted 24/7
medical carer. We provide families with the
chance to find moments and create precious
memories within the shortened lifetime of
their child. And when the time does come,
we can ensure families have access to a
caring and supportive environment in which
to say goodbye.”hummingbirdhouse.org.au“The most important question we
ask the child and their family is:
‘How can we help you?’- Dr Fiona Hawthorne