Geelong Football Club Captain Tom Harley helped to launch the 2009 appeal to raise funds for the Geelong region’s health services.

The 2009 Geelong Hospital Appeal was officially launched on Wednesday 18^th February by the Barwon Health Foundation with ‘Piper’s Party’ at the Gordon Gallery where Tom Harley appeared as guest speaker.

The appeal runs annually each year and encourages the local community to dig deep and give generously to raise funds for the vital services provided by Barwon Health which provides essential healthcare to more than 450,000 people in Geelong and South Western Victoria.

Money donated to the Geelong Hospital Appeal will be directed to various services and priorities including the Geelong Hospital, the Andrew Love Cancer Centre and Cancer Services, the McKellar Centre, Community Health Centres around Geelong, plus many more.

The target for the 2009 Geelong Hospital Appeal is to help raise $2 million to support the development of the new Operating Theatres at Geelong Hospital. At completion, these   two new main Operating Theatres are expected to enable an extra 2,000 operations each year in addition to the 16,613 operations performed over the last financial year at the Geelong Hospital. 

As Victoria’s third busiest hospital and the eighth busiest in Australia, Tom Harley is supporting the appeal because he knows the importance of the Geelong Hospital to the region. With the local hospital being the first stop for many of the club’s injured players and those in the community that find themselves sick or injured, it is essential it can offer the vital theatre service to help save lives.

Tom appreciates the importance of the new Operating Theatre and understands just how critical it is.

“The Operating Theatre caters for so many people in the community from small children, through to adults and you don’t know when you are going to be in a situation when you need it,” he says.

“The new Operating Theatres will ensure people in our community receive the best of care with the best life saving facilities.”

The ‘Piper’s Party’ launch also launched the face of the 2009 Geelong Hospital Appeal, five year old cancer survivor Piper Lee.

‘Piper’s Party’ saw the youngster take centre stage as face of the 2009 Geelong Hospital Appeal with the little girl and her family lending their story to help raise funds for the services of Barwon Health.

Tom and Piper were joined by Consultant Surgeon Mr Glenn Guest who gave an insight into the daily life of a surgeon and the difference the new theatre will make.

Adding to the party feel of the evening was jazz duo Sara Dwyer and Michael Brown transported the audience back to the clubs and dancehalls of the 1920’s to the 1950’s.

Executive Director of the Barwon Health Foundation, Gavin Seidel, hoped that the launch inspired the local community to support the appeal and pledge their donations locally to make a real difference to their own region.

“Supporting the appeal can be done in many ways from fundraising in your own group or business, donating to the appeal, volunteering or attending Barwon Health Foundation events.”

Donations can be made at the Bendigo Bank or by contacting the Barwon Health Foundation on Ph: 03 5260 3355.