Extraordinary care for WA's youngest patients when it matters most.
September 2026
St John of God Foundation has received more than $1.5 million in funding from Channel 7 Telethon Trust (Telethon) to support life-changing programs and equipment across St John of God Health Care hospitals and services in Western Australia.
Thanks to the generosity of the Western Australian community, babies, children and families receiving care across St John of God hospitals will benefit from programs, specialised medical equipment and enhanced support for years to come.
The funding will strengthen maternal, neonatal and paediatric care across metropolitan and regional Western Australia, ensuring clinicians have the resources they need to deliver extraordinary care to our most vulnerable young patients.
With almost 8,000 babies born each year across St John of God hospitals in WA, this support will touch countless lives - providing comfort, reassurance and specialised care during some of the most important moments many families will ever experience.
The funding will help expand the Moort Boodjari Mia Midwifery Outreach Program (MBM) based at St John of God Midland Public Hospital, providing culturally safe, community-based care for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women and their families throughout pregnancy and the early stages of parenthood.
It will also provide MBM ‘Safe Sleeping and Essentials Packs’ for families, helping create safer home environments for newborns and giving parents practical support as they welcome their babies into the world.
These initiatives will strengthen support beyond hospital walls, helping families feel informed, connected and cared for during the transition to life at home with a new baby.
Life-saving equipment for little patients
The funding will also deliver 50 pieces of specialised medical equipment across St John of God hospitals in Midland, Murdoch, Subiaco and Geraldton.
Among them are neonatal ‘Kangaroo Chairs’, which allow parents to safely hold and bond with premature and unwell babies during critical stages of development. These precious moments of closeness can provide comfort to families while supporting better outcomes for newborns. This project was made possible with philanthropic support from Mineral Resources.
Advanced ultrasound machines will enhance diagnostic capabilities and maternal care, made possible with philanthropic support from Hawaiian, while state-of-the-art ‘Giraffe Omnibed Carestations’ and neonatal resuscitation systems will support clinicians caring for critically ill newborns.
Jaundice meters will enable faster, less invasive assessments for babies, helping caregivers provide timely treatment while reducing stress for families.
Together, this incredible support will directly improve neonatal, maternal and paediatric care, empowering clinicians to deliver safer, more responsive care of the highest standard to Western Australian children from the very beginning of life.
To Channel 7 Telethon Trust, and to every Western Australian whose support of Telethon helps fund life-changing care, thank you. Your generosity is helping equip our hospitals, strengthen vital programs and give babies, children and families the best possible chance to thrive.
Because of you, extraordinary care will be there for WA’s youngest patients when it matters most.