Fundraising & Foundation

This Christmas please support our Critical Care Appeal to support our families in the Intensive Care Unit.

Jacob Dye is a lecturer at Federation University. In March 2023, less than forty-eight hours after a scratch from his new puppy, he was in the ICU at Ballarat Base Hospital with sepsis and complete organ failure. His partner, Kathrine, anxiously waited, and his extended family travelled to Ballarat. They were told he was likely to die.

"For me, entering the ICU was a whirlwind. I remember very little before being put into an induced coma. However, for my partner and my loved ones, the ICU began and ended with the waiting room. It was an anxiety-provoking place where they awaited information, were visited by doctors and nurses, and sought comfort from each other."

Megan Youngson, Program Director of Intensive Care Services at Grampians Health explains the impact on families with a loved one in the ICU.

“In the Intensive Care Unit, our patients are fighting to survive. During this time, the stress and challenges typically falls to the families of these patients. These decisions are made within the ICU, which is a very foreign environment and intimidating to most people. There are a lot of machines, attachments, and often, a lot of noise. During this very stressful time, our families need a space where they can rest, recharge, and absorb and reflect on decisions they are required to make, whilst still remaining close to their loved ones. This Christmas, we are asking for our community’s support to help us improve our family waiting room in the ICU.”

You can make an online, tax-deductible donation to our Critical Care Appeal by clicking here. Your support will help us create a space for our families in the ICU where they can rest and feel supported, close to their loved ones.