Hospitals

Having a premature baby is an experience Calvary Riverina midwife, Jessica Bodel, understands all too well. At 33 weeks pregnant, while looking after a set of twins in the special care nursery at the St Gerard’s Ward, she felt pain – then the bleeding started. Jessica’s Story Jessica had experienced

At more than 130 years old, Calvary North Adelaide Hospital is proving age is not a barrier to going green, halving its waste sent to landfill nearly overnight with a few simple changes. Calvary North Adelaide Hospital’s Green Team Chair, Rob Hutchinson, said staff and patients were the secret to

Nurse Stephanie Robinson looked at the bags of discarded sterilisation wraps collected after a day of surgery in the operating theatres at Calvary St Luke’s Hospital and pondered how it could be kept out of landfill. At the other end of the state, Mat Usher from remanufacturing start-up GreenMed was

For Perioperative Nurses Week, we’re recognising and celebrating the role of our perioperative nurses, their teams and the importance of the work they do in our patient experience, before, during and after surgery. Whilst they work alongside other incredible hospital staff, a perioperative nurse is the last person a patient

WITH CALVARY NORTH ADELAIDE HOSPITAL’S DR BEN GRAVE   Between the 8th and 14th of November, Craniofacial Australia and other associated Australian charities are raising awareness of cleft lip and palate treatment. Calvary North Adelaide Hospital’s Dr Ben Grave is an oral and maxillofacial surgeon who answers some commonly asked

Calvary Adelaide’s emergency department (ED) and its patients are set to benefit from the arrival of English nurse practitioner recruit Lomax Ocean. Last year, Calvary held an international recruitment expo in England and while visiting family in Spain Lomax secured a virtual interview. He’s glad he did. “I’ve been here

Patients undergoing radiation therapy for the treatment of breast cancer at Calvary Mater Newcastle are now benefitting from a new ‘tattoo-less’ technology. Known as Optical Surface Monitoring (OSM), the technology removes the need for permanent tattoos or ‘reference markers’ on the skin. Instead, it uses a three-dimensional light and camera

Amanda Quince considers herself a walking advert for getting your routine mammogram. Feeling healthy with no lumps or recent changes to her breasts, Amanda’s decision to get her regular two-yearly mammogram proved lifesaving for the Adelaide mum. Amanda’s Story “I really didn’t think that anything would come from it. I

It isn’t every day when considering a new role you have the chance to visit your potential new workplace, ask questions and walk away with a job interview, but that is what’s on offer at the Calvary nursing recruitment expo in Launceston this week. The expo is on at Calvary

Nick Larkin is as recent graduate of Calvary Riverina Drug and Alcohol Centre (CRDAC), completing six months of residential treatment and the Day Program. “Stay focused and remain positive” is the advice he gives to anyone trying to overcome an addiction. Nick’s story The 57-year-old is extremely proud of what

It was the warm weather that drew Sam Varghese, Sony Alexander and their two girls to Australia after deciding on a change. By coincidence Sam and Sony both accepted jobs with Calvary – Sony as a theatre nurse at Calvary North Adelaide Hospital and Sam as the Clinical Care Coordinator

Michelle Sykes was a heart attack waiting to happen. She just didn’t know it at the time. Six short weeks later, Michelle says she is lucky to have survived a complete blockage to the main artery in her heart and be back doing online workout challenges. The 57-year-old believes listening

WITH CALVARY’S DR MARY ANN KULH   The 2023 theme for Dementia Action Week is Act Now for a Dementia-Friendly Future. It’s a sentiment close to the heart for Calvary Health Care Geriatrician and General Physician, Dr Mary Ann Kulh, who is a firm believer in the power of a

“It’s a great day to be alive and sober” – those are the words Calvary’s Diane Kroker lives by. She repeats those same words every morning as she walks into the Calvary Riverina Drug and Alcohol Centre (CRDAC) in Wagga Wagga, using the mantra to greet her colleagues and clients.

Jersey Day is personal for Calvary Riverina Hospital’s Andrew Pert. His Dad, Ken, is one of the lucky ones receiving a kidney transplant in 1986 following renal failure that forced him to be on dialysis three to four hours every three days. The life-changing and life-saving kidney donation allowed Ken

Calvary Mater Newcastle’s Palliative Care Service has marked a significant milestone this month, celebrating 40 years of caring for patients from the Hunter, Lower Mid North Coast and New England regions. As the largest specialist palliative care provider in the region Mark Jeffrey, General Manager at Calvary Mater Newcastle, commended

A Calvary hospitality manager with a passion for providing nutritious food for patients nearing the end of life has been named outstanding service provider at the 2023 Tasmanian Palliative Care Awards. All three finalists in the outstanding service provider category were Calvary staff or services. Robert Johnston The Hospitality Services

In recent years, the small island of Vava’u, Tonga, has suffered devastating destruction. From cyclones in 2014 and 2018, to a volcanic eruption, subsequent tsunami and ash fall in 2022, the people of Vava’u were in need of a helping hand. Answering the calls for assistance was Rotary Australia, including

Calvary Mater Newcastle’s Director of Haematology, Dr Sam Yuen, and Senior Hospital Scientist, Conjoint Associate Professor Lisa Lincz, recently accepted a generous donation from Tomago Aluminium totalling $14,000. On the day, Tomago Aluminium employee and Mater haematology patient Trevor, was on-site with his daughters for the official cheque handover. As

Knowing how to manage aggression is important in any profession – particularly in the health care setting. That’s where Calvary Mater Newcastle’s emergency medicine staff specialist, Dr Michael Downes, and emergency department registered nurse, David Fitzgerald, come in. The Australasian College for Emergency Medicine (ACEM) recently held their winter symposium

What song would you like played at your funeral? What do you want your legacy to be? Where would you like to be when you die? Who would you like to be there? Why don’t we talk about death? All good questions that were topics of conversation at an afternoon

A pigeon-pair of fraternal twins has brought joy and excitement to a family from The Rock and Calvary Riverina’s maternity unity. Gemma and Alex Boutross welcomed their twin baby boy and girl on Wednesday, 19 July, making their family of eight now 10. The babies were a tightly-held secret. The

Calvary’s two Hobart hospitals have successfully redirected more than 540 kilograms of theatre waste from landfill in just one month. The innovative pilot program Keep Me in the Loop®, run in partnership with Tasmanian company GreenMed®, sees clean hospital sterilisation wrap, which is traditionally single-use, recycled and returned to the

Nursing students  in northern Tasmania looking to kick start their career locally have until the end of July to apply for a place in Calvary Launceston’s graduate nurse transition program for 2024. Fifteen positions are available across both Calvary St Luke’s and Calvary St Vincent’s hospitals and Calvary Launceston Director

For Lori Parish, Medirest Human Resources Manager and proud Bundjalung woman, having experienced the tragic loss of her daughter and in later years her grandson due to stillbirth, the motivation to help people in similar situations was high. “After the loss of my grandson, I started volunteering with an organisation

From Monday 3 July, Calvary Mater Newcastle staff donned their commemorative pins with pride, to mark National NAIDOC Week. Each year, celebrations take place across the country to acknowledge the history, culture and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. This year at the Mater was no different, with

“Motivation for myself, motivation for my recovery and motivation to stay clean.” This is how 35-year-old Jackson Towney-Fox sums up Calvary’s ‘Set up for Success’ program; an initiative in its early days at Calvary’s Riverina Drug and Alcohol Centre (CRDAC) in Wagga Wagga. Clients are encouraged to apply for a

At Calvary Mater Newcastle, NAIDOC Week celebrations kicked off on Monday morning, with Aboriginal Hospital Liaison Officer, Margaret Whitson, leading staff and friends of the Mater in the celebration march from Civic Park to the Foreshore. Braving the rain, proud Worimi man, Leigh Ridgeway, led staff in an Acknowledgement of

For Calvary Riverina Hospital’s new General Manager, it’s a case of coming back to where her love of nursing began. Jacki Hilton spent her early years as an Enrolled Nurse at the hospital while studying nursing at Charles Sturt University. Returning to Calvary After more than two decades at the

In the spirit of helping a friend, Calvary Mater Newcastle recently hosted local paramedic, Juliet Stark, for training to become an intensive care paramedic. As part of the specialist program, paramedics are required to complete a five week block of training which incorporates two weeks in operating theatres; one week

This Sunday marks the end of an era for Calvary. We have been a trusted healthcare provider for public patients in the ACT for 44 years, providing care from birth to end of life, and everything in between. Since Calvary Public Hospital Bruce opened its doors in 1979, we have

Everyday 66 men are diagnosed with prostate cancer, making it the nation’s most commonly diagnosed cancer, according to Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia (PCFA).   The five-year relative survival rate for prostate cancer has improved from 58% in 1982 to 95% today, thanks to significant advances in research and treatment.

Calvary is disappointed by the ACT Supreme Court’s decision to dismiss the application challenging the validity of the Health Infrastructure Enabling Act 2023. Calvary National Chief Executive, Martin Bowles, said the decision to mount a legal challenge against the proposed compulsory acquisition of Calvary Public Hospital Bruce was taken in

Calvary has determined that a legal challenge to the ACT Government’s proposed acquisition of Calvary Public Hospital Bruce is the only response left available if there is no agreement to have the debate on the Bill adjourned to make room for genuine discourse. Calvary continues to be frustrated by the

Calvary is continuing to pursue genuine negotiations with the ACT Government over its proposed compulsory acquisition of Calvary Public Hospital Bruce. Since, the Health Infrastructure Enabling Bill 2023 and associated regulations were introduced in the ACT Legislative Assembly on 11 May, 2023, Calvary has been considering its legal options while

On a sunny Sydney day in February, Saana ‘Zane’ Porter was surrounded by her family in the specialist palliative care unit at Calvary Health Care Kogarah for the final stage of her terminal breast cancer. Zane, a former Endorsed Enrolled Nurse (EEN) at Calvary for six years, experienced both sides

Opinion Editorial | Martin Bowles, Calvary National CEO This week the ACT Government announced that it would no longer consult with us, its long-term partner in health care for 44 years, and instead would rather move to enact special legislation to compulsorily acquire our land and remove Calvary as the

The below statement is attributed to Martin Bowles, Calvary National CEO:   Calvary is extremely disappointed in the ACT Government’s unexpected and unilateral decision to introduce legislation that effectively dissolves our partnership on public health delivery in the Territory. For 44 years Calvary has been a trusted local healthcare provider

After an amazing 44 years and having raised about $2.5 million towards equipment for care of Canberra district patients, the Calvary Public Hospital Bruce Auxiliary is winding up. Regional CEO for Calvary’s ACT hospitals and services, Ross Hawkins, paid tribute to Auxiliary members past and present for their commitment and

Opinion Editorial by Martin Bowles, Calvary National CEO   Calvary unequivocally supports the position that access to healthcare is a basic human right and we care equally for anyone using our services regardless of religion, race, gender, cultural background, political views, or economic and social status. This is a position

“Where words fail, music speaks.” – Hans Christian Andersen Residents from our Memory Support Unit at Calvary Flora McDonald, Cowandilla, are enjoying weekly music therapy sessions as part of a 10-week trial program run by a registered music therapist from Creative Therapy Adelaide. The program and an instrument kit has

On Thursday 2 February as part of the hospital’s Centenary celebrations, Calvary Mater Newcastle’s Heritage Committee and members of the hospital’s Executive, celebrated the completion of its Heritage Corridor Display. Over a period of years the Heritage Committee has been methodically, steadily and meticulously sorting through past photos of the

Friday 3 March 2023 saw a lot happening at Calvary Public Hospital Bruce. We celebrated our 44th birthday with the annual birthday BBQ lunch for staff, which traditionally and today saw the non-clinical staff, senior managers and Executive team prepare and serve lunch for the staff involved in delivering front-line

Patients, families and carers are benefiting from a $1.79m refurbishment to palliative care facilities at Calvary Health Care Kogarah, a specialist palliative care and rehabilitation hospital within the South Eastern Sydney Local Health District and servicing St George and Sutherland Shire. This project was in part supported by a $305,000

The new Calvary Bethlehem Hospital has opened its doors as part of Calvary Health Care’s landmark $154 million health, retirement living, and residential aged care precinct in Caulfield South. It marks a homecoming for the specialist 32-bed hospital and health service, which is a leading provider of palliative care services

A special Blue Plaque commemorating the lasting legacy and stewardship of the Sisters of the Little Company of Mary in Wagga Wagga has been officially unveiled at Calvary Riverina Hospital. The Heritage NSW Blue Plaque recognises the Sisters, who established a hospital in 1926 at Wagga Wagga’s Foxborough Hall. It

Let’s hear it for Calvary Mater Newcastle’s 2022 Mary Potter Award winner, David Millington, Support Services Supervisor. When David was announced as the winner at the 2022 Celebration of Service, held on Thursday 17 November, a massive applause echoed throughout the Mater Lecture Theatre and many an eye was dabbed

The Grieve project is celebrating 10 years. What began as a writing and live reading activity for members of the Hunter Writers Centre has now become a national writing competition which attracts hundreds of entries every year. Entries are called for in August, Grief Awareness month, and in November awards