Sydney Children’s Hospitals Foundation (SCHF) today joins forces with the Western Sydney Wanderers to raise awareness of and support for the critical services provided by the Sydney Children’s Hospitals Network, including the children’s hospitals at Randwick and Westmead.
Announced on the pitch at CommBank Stadium in Parramatta, the Honourable Kristina Keneally, CEO of Sydney Children’s Hospital Foundation and Scott Hudson, CEO of the Western Sydney Wanderers were joined by Western Sydney local and Sydney Children’s Hospitals Network (SCHN) patient, 13-year-old Hassan El Helou.
Hassan took to the field with Western Sydney Wanderers’ players Marcelo, Brandon Borrello and Marcus Antonsson to mark the occasion. Hassan was first admitted to the Sydney Children’s Hospital Randwick following his birth.
Born with multiple internal anomalies, Hassan’s family credits the ongoing care he receives from the multiple surgeons and teams across SCHN, and the support of Sydney Children’s Hospitals Foundation programs, with his positive outlook and ability to play the sport he loves – football — with his local club, Bankstown East FC.
Kristina Keneally, CEO of SCHF said, “Sydney Children’s Hospitals Foundation believes all children should have access to the healthcare they need, whenever and wherever they need it. With the support of donors from across Sydney and NSW, we raised $90M last year to give all kids in New South Wales the best possible patient experience, the highest standard of clinical care, and access to cutting-edge research.”
“SCHF’s generous donors and partners make our two very good children’s hospitals in Sydney great ones,” Keneally said. “Donors and partners to SCHF also support NSW’s only palliative care centre for children, Bear Cottage, the Newborn and paediatric Emergency Transport Service (NETS), and Kids Research.
A partnership with the Western Sydney Wanderers – one of the strongest sporting clubs in Western Sydney, with their great engagement with the local community – will help build up the bonds between The Children’s Hospital at Westmead, the Sydney Children’s Hospital Network and Foundation, to support healthier kids and communities.”
Scott Hudson, CEO of the Western Sydney Wanderers says, he was proud of the new partnership.
“The Wanderers are more than just a football club and we are very proud to be joining forces with the Sydney Children’s Hospital Foundation to make a difference to so many lives,” said Hudson.
“The Sydney Children’s Hospital Foundation does incredible work in ensuring patients receive the highest quality support and we are proud to have the Wanderers involved in supporting healthier kids and communities.”
The partnership between SCHF and the Western Sydney Wanderers will extend across the 2023/24 and 2024/25 A-League Mens and Womens seasons.
SCHF is the exclusive charity partner of Sydney Children’s Hospitals Networks (SCHN), which is comprised of two major children’s hospitals (Sydney Children’s Hospital Randwick and The Children’s Hospital at Westmead), specialised care services (Bear Cottage and the Newborn and paediatric Emergency Transport Service [NETS]) and Kids Research.
Funds raised by SCHF help support critical specialist units, provide specialist transport in critical incidents, establish dedicated and age-appropriate facilities for mental and physical health conditions, and improve quality of life for sick kids in the short and long term.
Key SCHF facts:
- SCHF is one of the largest children’s charities in the country and one of the largest children’s hospital foundations in the world
- Last year, SCHF raised more than $90 million for sick kids
- SCHF’s Movement of Many includes over 70,000 donors, volunteers, supporters, friends, and partners
For more information about SCHF and how to become part of the Movement of Many, visit www.schf.org.au
