June 2023

Proudly announcing Austin Health Foundation research grants

7 June 2023 - Austin Health has received generous funds as gifts in wills, which play an important role in supporting the work we do every day. Through this generosity, The Austin Health Foundation is delighted to announce $1.75 million will be distributed as grants to seven research projects

In sickness and in health: a remarkable tale of resilience and romance

5 June 2023 - This is the story of Larry and Teresa's remarkable journey which led them to be married at Austin Hospital only weeks ago. Their heart-warming tale shows the power of love and support when faced with the hardest of challenges.

May 2023

The Austin Hospital's podium is closing

31 May 2023 - The front entrance of Austin Hospital and Mercy Hospital will be closing on Friday 2 June to allow a range of renovations to commence. We have heard the community feedback about removing the Commemorate Circle. We are commissioning a new Commemorative Wall, which will list the names from the Commemorative Circle pavers.

Winter is coming: get your flu vaccine today

31 May 2023 - It’s that time of year again when the temperature begins to fall, and the number of influenza cases begin to rise. Now is the time to get your flu vaccine and fend off the dangers of this highly contagious virus.

World Multiple Sclerosis (MS) Day: Meet Sean Myring

30 May 2023 - In March 2012, at the age of 22, Sean Myring set off to the UK to travel and pursue his cricket dream. Little did he know that the 9 months following would be one of the scariest periods of his life, as he would later be diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis (MS).

Exercise Right Week: Meet Grace Williams

25 May 2023 - Grace has been working at Exercise@ONJ since 2021. Since her very first year of university, Grace had a strong interest in exercise-oncology.

The Austin Hospital's podium is closing

25 May 2023 - The front entrance of Austin Hospital and Mercy Hospital will be closing on Friday 2 June to allow a range of renovations to commence.

Spreading love, one fabric heart at a time

22 May 2023 - In the midst of our fast-paced and bustling lives, acts of kindness have the power to create beautiful moments that brighten our days. Yet, these acts can sometimes slip by unnoticed, overshadowed by the chaos around us.

National Volunteer Week spotlight: Faye Reynolds

19 May 2023 - We at Austin Health are fortunate to have many wonderful volunteers who support our patients and staff every day, including Faye Reynolds. Volunteering as a Guide, Faye is often the first person patients, families and staff meet when they walk through the door.

National Volunteer Week spotlight: Steven Andrews

15 May 2023 - Steven Andrews is more than a volunteer at The Royal Talbot Rehabilitation Centre who assists in the Art Group once a week. His inspiration to volunteer came from his own experience as a patient just over three years ago.

Mother's Day feature: Meet Suzie and Louisa

14 May 2023 - In honour of Mother’s Day this year, meet our mother-daughter duo Suzie Johnson and Louisa Fedele, who are both staff members at Austin!

Christina's horror accident that changed her life for the better

13 May 2023 - Christina Vithoulkas can still vividly remember launching into the air and realising that she wasn't going to make it, but she has no memory of hitting the ground. An avid motocross biker, Vithoulkas was about 22 when she attempted a 50-foot jump from a metal ramp and almost died when the landing went wrong. 

Staff Spotlight: Meet Dr Zoe Williams

08 May 2023 - Zoe is a proud Darug Boorooberongal woman, from the Western Sydney area and is also a descendant of the Butchulla tribe of Fraser Island. Zoe commenced as a medical intern at Austin Health in 2022.

Emergency Department: Transition to Specialty Practice

04 May 2023 - Do you have an interest in Emergency nursing? Now is your time to get involved and apply for Austin Health’s Transition to Specialty practice nursing program.

Planting the seed for health and wellbeing

02 May 2023 - Spending time in garden spaces is important for our health and wellbeing. In hospital settings, gardens provide us with an opportunity to relax, help to reduce stress, and offer a place of respite and retreat for patients, visitors and staff. 

April 2023

John spends 55 days in ICU with COVID-19 and shares his story

28 April 2023 - John Colalancia won’t easily forget 2021. During the first half of the year, he discovered he had cancer. Later in the same year, he was hospitalised with COVID-19 and had to spend 55 days in ICU.

Furphy Garden unveiled during ANZAC Day service at the Repat

24 April 2023 - Austin Health’s traditional Anzac Day ceremony was held again this year in the Remembrance Garden at the Repat on Friday 21 April. Over 200 guests were in attendance for this year’s celebration including veterans, staff, MPs and special guests.

Seventy-five years of health - Meet Peter

07 April 2023 - Today marks 75 years since countries of the world came together and founded the World Health Organisation to promote health, keep the world safe and serve the vulnerable – so everyone, everywhere can attain the highest level of health and well-being. While polio is rarely seen now, in fact the last known new case was in 1972, Peter was one of thousands of people in Australia to contract the disease before the vaccine was introduced in 1956 - two years after Peter was diagnosed.

March 2023

Celebrating Dietitians Week: Meet Tony

24 March 2023 - Twenty years ago, Tony was diagnosed with nasopharyngeal cancer. After what was meant to be routine nasal surgery to help his breathing, came a diagnosis he had no idea was lurking behind the scenes.

Austin and St Vincent’s Hospitals investigate new type 2 diabetes treatment

16 March 2023 - More than one million Australians living with Type 2 diabetes rely on daily insulin jabs to manage their condition – but that may soon be a thing of the past.

World Kidney Day: Meet Michele and Cain

9 March 2023 - In May 2022, Michele Priede made the brave decision to become a kidney donor for her son, Cain Baker.

Olivia's Walk for Wellness announced for October

2 March 2023 - The family of Dame Olivia Newton-John, AC DBE have launched Olivia's annual Walk for Wellness, and invite you to join them on 8 October to continue her legacy of supporting people with cancer. 

February 2023

Australian first to improve kidney transplant access and outcomes

28 February 2023 - In an Australian-first, two complementary machine perfusion technologies are now available to patients at Austin Health to improve access to and outcomes from kidney transplantation in Victoria and Tasmania.

Staff Spotlight: Meet Janet Chen

24 February 2023 - As part of the Heart Research Month, we had a chat with Janet Chen, Cardiac Physiologist.

Welcome to our new graduate nurses

22 February 2023 - Over the past three weeks, Austin Health has welcomed 183 new Graduate Registered Nurses.

Celebrating International Day of Women and Girls in Science

11 February 2023 - To celebrate International Day of Women and Girls in Science, we asked some of our very own women in science at Austin Health to share their inspiring career journeys and motivation for science.

Austin Health attend Midsumma Pride March

06 February 2023 - Our fabulous Austin Health team marched with pride at the Midsumma Pride March in St Kilda on Sunday 5 February.

World Cancer Day: Meet Bronwyn

04 February 2023 - Bronwyn Picken was overseas with her husband in 2018 when she received the devastating call that she had been diagnosed with multiple myeloma, a type of blood cancer that develops from plasma cells in the bone marrow.

State memorial for Dame Olivia Newton-John, AC, DBE

02 February 2023 - Victorians will join together to honour the life of Dame Olivia Newton-John, AC, DBE at her state memorial on Sunday 26 February 2023

Geriatric Emergency Department Innovation

01 February 2023 - Austin Health has recently started a new program in its Emergency Department to support some of its most vulnerable patients. The Geriatric Emergency Department Innovation, or more affectionally known as GEDI, aims to provide specialist support to identify patients that would benefit from early geriatric review.

Notice of Annual Meeting

01 February 2023 - Austin Health will be holding its 2021-22 Annual General Meeting (AGM) on Wednesday, 15 February 2023.

January 2023

Smoking Ceremonies: practice, purpose and policy

25 January 2023 - The Ngarra Jarra team has created a Smoking Ceremony and Sorry Business policy to better educate staff and increase awareness of this service. The policy includes purpose, cultural consideration, locations and procedure.

Celebrating 1000 treatments on the Unity MR Linac

18 January 2023 - This month, the Radiation Oncology department and MR Linac team, with support from hospital management and Elekta, proudly celebrated their 1000th treatment delivery.

Staff Spotlight: Jhiah Barker

12 January 2023 - Jhiah Barker is our new Aboriginal Health Liaison Officer with the Ngarra Jarra team​​​​​​​. We caught up with him to find out what motivated him to become an ALO.

Welcome to Austin Health's new medical interns

11 January 2023 - We are proud to welcome aboard 65 first-year doctors starting their internship orientation at Austin Health this week! After graduating last year, they will transition from medical student to junior doctor with the support and guidance from our experienced staff.

Austin Research: growing, nurturing and maturing research leaders

09 January 2023 - Research-active health services deliver safer and better evidence-based care to our patients. This means better outcomes for our patients. The Austin precinct celebrates the promotion of three prominent precinct researchers and congratulates two clinicians who have been awarded an NHMRC Postgraduate Scholarship.

Sandra Fisher wins BHT Foundation Clinical Leadership Award

03 January 2023 - Congratulations to Sandra Fisher, a medical physicist with Austin Health, who has been awarded the Better Healthcare Technology Foundation Clinical Leadership Award.