Dhelkaya Health Hosted Good Friday Appeal Team for Regional Funding Visit
On 1 October 2025, Dhelkaya Health in Mount Alexander Shire welcomed the Good Friday Appeal team as part of a series of regional visits across Victoria aimed at highlighting the impact of the new funding grants provided to regional health services, in partnership with The Royal Children’s Hospital. This funding is helping local children and families/carers to ensure they can receive world class care closer to home.
In 2025, the Good Friday Appeal raised a record $23,822,792 for The Royal Children’s Hospital, with $5.4 million raised by regional and rural communities across Victoria and Southern NSW. This remarkable achievement was made possible by 214 Area Managers, CFA, collection groups and thousands of volunteers, whose tin shaking, raffles, fundraisers and auctions provide vital support to sick children and their families.
A key goal of The Royal Children’s Hospital (RCH) is to create an integrated paediatric service system where health services can learn from each other and share expertise. The aim of the funding is to take RCH excellence into the regions, and this year, of the 70 health services across the State, funding will be shared across 41, with 35 receiving supports from the Good Friday Appeal for the very first time.
This year, a $3 million investment from the Good Friday Appeal is being directed to regional health services across Victoria, including Dhelkaya Health, to support equipment, education, training, and projects tailored to the unique needs of local communities.
Of this, $600,000 will be allocated across five health services in the Loddon Mallee region, enhancing care for babies, children, and adolescents with developmental delays and neurodiverse conditions. Thanks to the generosity of Good Friday Appeal supporters, this funding will help establish coordinated, multidisciplinary services that deliver comprehensive, high-quality care closer to home.
Specifically, Dhelkaya Health will benefit from funding to pilot a localised project focused on strengthening paediatric assessment, triage, and early intervention services. This initiative will support the Mount Alexander community and surrounding areas by ensuring children with developmental concerns are identified earlier and connected with the right care closer to home.
“Our visit to Dhelkaya Health is a wonderful opportunity to highlight the impact of regional funding on local paediatric care,” said Rebecca Cowan, Executive Director of the Good Friday Appeal. “This year, we’re especially proud that $3 million from the 2025 Appeal is supporting health services across regional Victoria, including $600,000 dedicated to health services in the Loddon Mallee region. This funding will help ensure children in local regional communities can access world-class care closer to home.”
CEO of Dhelkaya Health, Sue Race said “We’re delighted this grant will enable us to launch such an important initiative. This funding means we can better support children and families in our community with earlier diagnosis and intervention, setting them on a healthier path for the future.”
