Royal Children's Hospital

Our club's largest fundraising project in many years aims to raise $200,000 to set up the new Nuro Sciences Ward at the Royal Children's Hospital. The impetus to start this project was the work of hospital surgeons in saving the life of the grandson of past president John Gowers (2005-06).

The Story of Campbell Gowers

Campbell Gowers is lucky to be alive. Four years ago, when he was only seven years old a CT scan at The Royal Children's Hospital revealed he had a giant basilar apex aneurysm which is very rare in children.

Surgeons at the RCH told his parents, Belinda and Norman, that without surgery there was a 50% chance Campbell would die, with surgery he had a 50% chance of survival.

Due to the risk involved in the surgery, it was performed at the Royal Melbourne Hospital where there was angiographic expertise; the team included Mr Kevin So, a skilled vascular neurosurgeon from the RMH, RCH neurosurgeon Ms Wirginia Maixner and the RCH anaesthetic team.

Campbell suffered a stroke on the operating table and was stabilised, but surgeons told his parents they did not expect him to pull through. They were amazed when he woke up. However 24 hours later he was rushed back to surgery at RCH where surgeon Wirginia Maixner removed bone from his head to relieve pressure due to complications from the stroke. He remained in a drug induced coma for several weeks. When he woke he was unable to walk or feed himself and it was still unknown what the long term affects of the stroke would be.

Surgeons left off part of the bone flap to allow the swelling of his brain to subside. He wore a specially made helmet to protect his head and was confined to a wheelchair. Then in another setback he began having breathing difficulties and spent five days on a ventilator in intensive care. He was discharged back to the ward in time to celebrate his eighth birthday.

Still without the bone flap on his skull for several weeks, he was allowed to go home and even permitted to return to school for 30 minutes a day, with his mother close by.

Campbell's recovery has amazed his doctors - he had his final rehabilitation visit to the eye clinic last week. He's a sports nut and is now playing football, cricket and basketball again.

History of our Fundraising

Following John Gowers decision to aim for the ambitious target of $200,000 it was apparent that he would need much good publicity amongst Rotarians and community groups if he was to be successful.

He quickly arranged for Royal Children's Hospital surgeon Prof. Andrew Kornberg to be a guest speaker at the March 06 District 9800 conference. This raised awareness of the project by clubs and Rotarians in our district to the extent that he was able to present Andrew with an initial cheque for $60,000 at a meeting of our club in June 06.

Since then fundraising has continued apace. Special efforts by groups such as the real estate agents who walked the Kokoda Trail added substantially to the growing total.

Now in October 07 the total raised stands around $150,000

A major media event was staged at the Royal Children's Hospital on Wednesday, October 3 at which leading Rotary dignitaries and hospital representatives involved with Campbell Gowers were present

See the photo below with Campbell's surgeon Wirginia Maixner, Campbell, John Gowers and D9800 Governor, John Davis were present.