Coles has launched its annual fundraising campaign for Australian children's charity Hospitals United for Sick Kids with a record number of products and suppliers participating in this year's appeal.
Until Tuesday 7 April, Coles, together with its suppliers, will donate 50 cents to Hospitals United for Sick Kids from the sales of more than 170 products sold at Coles supermarkets and on Coles online (maximum donations apply1). Funds raised will help support vital paediatric projects and initiatives across Australia which aims to reduce the amount of time young patients spend in hospitals, including:
- Child Life Therapy (CLT) – Funds raised in Queensland will assist The Common Good (an initiative of The Prince Charles Hospital Foundation) in its objective to continue supporting the CLT program at Caboolture Hospital. The CLT works alongside clinical teams to support the emotional well-being of Caboolture Hospital's youngest patients, focusing on reducing fear and anxiety associated with medical procedures.
- Virtual health for regional and rural families - Funds raised in NSW's Hunter New England region will help John Hunter Children's Hospital to extend its Regional and Rural Virtual Acute Review Service for children and families in Newcastle, New England, the Northwest, and Northern NSW. Through virtual consultations, clinicians can assess patients, provide treatment plans, order tests, send e-prescriptions, and coordinate specialist referrals, helping keep children safely at home or cared for in their local health facility.
- Precision Cancer Therapy - Funds raised in NSW will also help Sydney Children's Hospitals Foundation to support clinicians treating children with cancer. By determining the right dosage of drugs and adopting advance treatments, clinicians can provide safer and more effective care for vulnerable young patients.
- Chemotherapy in the Home and Phototherapy in the Home - In Victoria, funds will help support the Optimizing Paediatric Patient Pathways project at Monash Children's Hospital to ensure that the right care is received at the right time in the right place, with a focus on getting children and young people into their home as soon as possible. The appeal will help to fund healthcare workers and new equipment to expand these vital programs, allowing children to recover at home.
- Music therapy and emergency financial assistance – Funds raised in South Australia and the Northern Territory will assist the Women's & Children's Hospital Foundation to engage specially trained Registered Music Therapists to provide music therapy for patients at the Women's and Children's Hospital, as well as provide financial assistance to families travelling from NT, supporting costs associated with emergency transport, accommodation, groceries, utility bills and medical equipment.
- Early detection of Cerebral Palsy (CP) - Funds raised in WA for Perth Children's Hospital Foundation will help clinicians at Perth Children's Hospital to detect CP in babies in regional and remote areas of WA sooner. The "Connect-CP" program will help fast track referral and intervention pathways that can help reduce disability severity and improve the quality of life for children with CP.
- Delta Dog Therapy – Funds raised in the ACT will enable Canberra Hospitals Foundation to support a new program in which therapy dogs provide emotional support, reduce anxiety and be a welcoming distraction for children receiving care at Canberra Hospital, with a special focus on children presenting with mental health issues.
- Pilot study into wrist splints - Funds raised in Tasmania will help fund the Royal Hobart Hospital Research Foundation's "Cast Away" pilot study, testing whether children with simple, stable forearm fractures can be safely and effectively treated with removable wrist splints instead of traditional plaster casts. The results will guide future large-scale research and could change how these common childhood fractures are managed in Tasmania.
Hospitals United for Sick Kids Chief Executive Officer Nicky Bowie said funds raised at Coles plays an important role in supporting children's hospitals in Australia.
"Hospitals United for Sick Kids is dedicated to creating systems of support where we can reduce the burden of hospitalisation on sick kids and their families," she said.
"When you purchase participating products at Coles, the funds raised help support life-changing projects at every stage of the journey sick kids are on. That could mean making hospital feel more like home, delivering cutting-edge treatments to help them get home, or bringing hospital-grade care to them so they can recover at home."
"There are over 170 products giving 50 cents to us from every sale at Coles during the appeal, so fill up your shopping basket and help sick kids get home to the things they miss."
Coles Acting Group Corporate Affairs Officer Jace Armstrong said Coles is proud of its community partnership with the national children's charity.
"As a founding partner of Hospitals United for Sick Kids, Coles customers have been able to help make a tangible difference to the lives of thousands of children across the country," he said.
"These initiatives have already helped countless families in their time of need, and we look forward to supporting even more children and families by helping to raise further funds in this year's campaign."
In addition to purchasing a participating product during the 4-week appeal, customers can also support the cause throughout the year by making a donation at the checkout or by purchasing a Coles Mum's Sause pasta or pizza sauce, with Coles donating 50 cents to Hospitals United for Sick Kids year-round.
For a full list of participating products, including terms and conditions in this year's Hospitals United for Sick Kids appeal, visit coles.com.au/hospitalsunitedOpens in new window.
