PA Research Foundation

PA Research Foundation The charitable arm of the PA Hospital and Metro South Health. Your place to give.

When you've been diagnosed with cancer or a serious diseases, hope comes in many different forms and ways. For Ryan Nguy...
06/08/2026

When you've been diagnosed with cancer or a serious diseases, hope comes in many different forms and ways.

For Ryan Nguyen, hope came in the form of over a thousand paper cranes, folded by himself, his family and friends and members of his community.
The cranes hung in his room while he was receiving inpatient treatment for recurrent Hodgkin's Lymphoma, and they now hang in the youth space in Ward 2E now that he is receiving treatment as an outpatient.

You can read more about Ryan's story and the inspiration behind the crane folding at the link in the comments.

Image courtesy of Metro South Health

When emergency nurse Jordan walks through the doors of the PA Hospital each working day, he doesn't see just his workpla...
06/08/2026

When emergency nurse Jordan walks through the doors of the PA Hospital each working day, he doesn't see just his workplace but the place that changed his life when he was 16, having received a liver transplant at the same Hospital where he now cares for others.
Jordan's mum was prematurely induced when the doctor noticed Jordan was growing slower than his twin brother. Not long after, his birth he was diagnosed with a rare, inherited condition called Alagille syndrome which is a genetic disorder where bile builds up in the liver or other organs in the body. The disease, which affected his heart and liver, also gave meant he had to brittle bones, ruling out heavy contact sports for Jordan growing up.
"When I was five, I fractured my femur just by stepping off half a step … twice," Jordan said.
As the years went on, frequent checkups and hospital admissions started taking their toll on Jordan's education.
'I was at home, in bed feeling nauseous, lethargic and sleep deprived from many nights attempting to control the unforgiving itch that comes with liver disease.'
By the age of 14, Jordan raised the question of being put on the liver transplant waitlist at a regular check up with his paediatrician.
"It turned out to be the biggest pitch for being waitlisted any 14-year-old would ever make because my requirement for transplant wasn't emergent, it was for quality-of-life purposes."
22 months later he received a call in the early hours of the morning that would change his life, the transplant offer of a transplant.
It was during his recovery at PA, after experiencing a rare transplant complication, that he decided to become a nurse.
"Up until that time, I was thinking I’d pursue a career in teaching, perhaps as a performing arts teacher," he said
"But then things got really rough with my recovery. I’d just been given the best gift of my life (my transplant) and I didn’t really think I was going to live much longer, to be honest.
"It was the nurses who really got me through."
It's now been 10 years since his operation and Jordan is grateful for the quality of life he now has that allows him to care for other patients of the PA in its Emergency Department.
Prior to his transplant he said he was never able to plan his future.
'Thanks to my donor and their family, not only can I plan for the future, but I now can't wait to see what it has in store for me.'

Jordan's story is great reminder of the importance of organ donation this DonateLife Week.
You can support the work of Donate Life by making a charitable donation via our website here: https://www.pafoundation.org.au/donatelife


Courtesy of Queensland Health and Metro South Health

Congratulations to Ella Boatfield, PA Hospital’s Graduate Nurse of the Year! 🪅Ella relocated from Toowoomba to accept a ...
30/07/2026

Congratulations to Ella Boatfield, PA Hospital’s Graduate Nurse of the Year! 🪅
Ella relocated from Toowoomba to accept a role in the PA Hospital’s Urology Department, meeting her goal of working in a tertiary Hospital.
In what has been an outstanding first year in the job her compassion and commitment to care centered around her patients resulted in her also taking out the wider Metro South Health Graduate Nurse of the Year award on top of her PA award.
Ella is grateful not just for the award recognition but to her fellow graduates and to be working in such a first class Hospital.
“I had heard great things about the PA Hospital graduate program, and every nurse from Toowoomba who had worked at PAH spoke so fondly of their experience,” she said.
“I feel so grateful to the entire Ward 4A team for supporting me throughout my graduate year, especially my fellow graduates, Sheila, Katie and Nichole.”
Well done Ella 👏, we’re also grateful to have you on board the wider nursing team of PA.

Courtesy Metro South Health

Clear communication is everything in a busy emergency department. It's central to the excellent care patients already re...
21/07/2026

Clear communication is everything in a busy emergency department. It's central to the excellent care patients already receive at the PA, and it's a skill even the best clinicians want to keep sharpening.

A research project led by Dr Victoria Lister (pictured), and made possible by our amazing donors, set out to help them do exactly that. Over four short sessions each, Victoria coached 12 emergency medicine nurses and doctors at the PA Hospital to speak up, listen more closely and communicate with even greater confidence. Every clinician who completed the program improved, some reaching a perfect 10 out of 10 against the goals they set for themselves.

What stood out most was the ripple effect. As one participant put it, when she felt confident and happy in the department, her colleagues did too. Stronger communication among the people caring for patients means even safer, better care for the patients themselves.

Thanks to the generosity of our donors, this is the kind of research that makes a real difference at the PA. Read Victoria's story in the link in comments below and play a huge role in the next healthcare research project by choosing the Foundation as your place to give via our website.

Thanks to the incredible clinicians of Acute Care @ Home, PA Hospital's care doesn't stop at the hospital doors.The AC@H...
10/07/2026

Thanks to the incredible clinicians of Acute Care @ Home, PA Hospital's care doesn't stop at the hospital doors.
The AC@H team, a crew of 15 to 18 clinicians, is finding creative ways to deliver high-quality care to patients in their own homes, supporting earlier discharge and freeing up hospital capacity for those who need it most.
Nurse Unit Manager Erin Dunne said the team's focus is on meeting patients where they are, in the setting that's best for them. "Our aim is to improve the patient experience, support earlier discharge, prevent unnecessary admissions and optimise hospital capacity," she said.
"Early identification allows our team to assess patient suitability and coordinate the necessary community supports for a more streamlined transfer of care out of an inpatient bed."
It's care that extends well beyond the traditional inpatient setting, and a great example of the type of healthcare we're so proud to be a supporter of here at the Foundation.
You can help us to support incredible initiatives like this by making the Foundation your place to give via the link in the comments.

Story courtesy of Metro South Health

By becoming one of our treasured PA Hospital volunteers Walter Jarvis is giving back to the health system that cared for...
05/07/2026

By becoming one of our treasured PA Hospital volunteers Walter Jarvis is giving back to the health system that cared for him.
Walter's gratitude stems from the care he was given for a Stage 3 Bowel Cancer diagnosis.
Care which included not just surgery at RBWH, but his care at the PA Hospital's emergency department, and the personalised approach he received while undergoing chemotherapy at Eight Mile Plains Satellite Hospital.
As well as attending Bowel Cancer Australia's annual Call on Canberra event to advocate for bowel cancer patients, and a lowering of the bowel cancer testing age, he wanted to say thank you the best way he knew how, by giving some of his time to help patients and their families going through similar health journeys at the PA Hospital.
You can read more about Walter's cancer journey and appreciation for Metro South Health via the link the comments.
Thanks for volunteering Walter!

You've helped us congratulate PA Hospital's outpatient nurse of the year, now it's time to cheer for Donna Everitt who h...
29/06/2026

You've helped us congratulate PA Hospital's outpatient nurse of the year, now it's time to cheer for Donna Everitt who has been named PA's inpatient nurse of the year.
The nursing unit manager of Orthopaedic Ward 2A has been a nurse for 39 years and taken on a wide array of challenges during that time. She's been a nursing manager for 16 years, including 14 within the Division of Surgery. She's also had a stint in the PA's Spinal Injuries Unit.
Donna was recognised for her leadership, adaptability and commitment to supporting her patients and her colleagues, and received her award on International Nurses Day earlier this year.

“I’ve been very fortunate to have the leadership opportunities I’ve had and very humbled to receive this award.
“Every nurse deserves recognition for the great work they do, and I believe every nurse deserves an excellence in nursing award," Donna told Metro South Health.

Thank you for the exceptional care and leadership you provide Donna!

We are coming up to the end of another Bowel Cancer Awareness Month (June), and for one member of our Foundation team, i...
23/06/2026

We are coming up to the end of another Bowel Cancer Awareness Month (June), and for one member of our Foundation team, it's a cause he's deeply passionate about.

Luke Cridland (pictured here in maroon with staff from the PA’s Gastroenterology Department) was just 32 when he was diagnosed with bowel cancer, at a time when it was still widely thought of as an older person's disease.
At the time of his diagnosis Luke had been on a bit of a health kick when he noticed something wasn't right.
"I'd lost weight and hadn't noticed an improvement in my bowel habits, which I kind of expected, so that was alarm bells for me," he said. "That's when I started having serious conversations with my GP about getting tested."
Five years on, Luke is quick to encourage others to pay attention to their bodies and speak up.
"If you're going to catch it, catch it early, because it will determine your quality of life."

With 50,000 Australians diagnosed each year, 5000 of whom will pass away as a result of their diagnosis, it's a message echoed by gastroenterology department clinician Professor Gerald Holtmann.
"The message for everybody is, you should be alert, and if you have unusual symptoms, you should talk to your GP,” Prof Holtmann said.

While the figures are sobering, Prof Holtmann said screening can pick up early signs of cancer before symptoms appear, and a single colonoscopy in a lifetime can halve the risk. He also pointed to a worrying trend of more people in their 30s being diagnosed.

The bowel screening test is free, simple and can be done at home. People aged 50 to 74 are sent a kit in the mail every two years, and those aged 45 to 49 can now opt in by requesting their first free kit.
If you're eligible, take the test.

Image courtesy of Metro South Health full story from MSH in the comments.

Shout out to one of the incredible nurses here at the PA Hospital. Schonnel Gosson (pictured) has been named PA Hospital...
22/06/2026

Shout out to one of the incredible nurses here at the PA Hospital.

Schonnel Gosson (pictured) has been named PA Hospital's Nurse of the Year – Outpatient 2026, and we just want to take a moment to celebrate and congratulate her.
The Nurse Unit Manager in Specialty Outpatients was honoured for her innovative thinking and collaborative leadership, including leading the major expansion of the department that has doubled the service her team can provide.

Ask Schonnel, who’s been a nurse for 26 years, the secret to her success and she points straight back to her team.

"Our culture in the department is one of support, collaboration, and true teamwork," she said. "When you look at the common denominator, everyone really is working together for the same outcome for each patient."

This is exactly the kind of dedication that makes us so grateful for the nurses who care for the patients of the PA every day.

Congrats again Schonnel! 👏

Full story courtesy of Metro South Health in the comments.

In the Spinal Injuries Unit at the PA Hospital, there is a room where, once a week you'll find soft lights, music playin...
15/06/2026

In the Spinal Injuries Unit at the PA Hospital, there is a room where, once a week you'll find soft lights, music playing, and the smell of a diffuser drifting out into the hallway. Patients have told the unit’s Senior Psychologist T'Keya Chambers that they catch the scent before they even reach the door, and it immediately starts to help them feel calmer.

This adaptive yoga program, led by Dr Marisa Cordella, is benefiting patients because of funding from the Foundation and our generous donors.

T'Keya set it up after noticing patients were quietly asking for more support. More therapy in the afternoons. More connection with each other. She brought in a Dr Cordella, a Certified Yoga Instructor who works in adaptive modalities, and together they built something the ward hadn't had before.

Partners come along. People stay for dinner together afterwards. T'Keya wants to make it permanent, and you could help make that happen by choosing us as your place to give.

Full story in the comments.

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