And the group of four, including Maxine Thomas, of the Sunshine Coast Private Hospital, and Katie Pullinger, from the Wesley Hospital, will be looking to continue the fantastic successes achieved in the previous year and which are outlined in the Helena Goldie Partnership Report 2013.
Pictured are, from left, Katie, Helen, Maxine and Wendy Zernike, Director of Clinical Education, Clinical Team Leader for the project, who make up the 2014 team.
UnitingCare Health’s Director of Mission, and Helena Goldie Project Manager, Reverend Helen Dick, is excited as she looks forward to the trip.
“This is the fourth year of our Helena Goldie Partnership and since 2011 UnitingCare Health staff have raised more than $56,000 through payroll deductions and other fundraising initiatives”, Helen said.
“I would like to thank everyone, from across UnitingCare Health, who has supported this project in the past and also this year with donations of resources and money.
“I’m also urging everyone to continue supporting this year’s team with their thoughts and prayers.”
The Helena Goldie Project is a UnitingCare Health initiative, along with partner UnitingWorld, to help improve healthcare in the Solomon Islands – where 85 per cent of communities live in poverty on remote islands.
Each year UnitingCare Health selects a team to make two trips to the Solomon Islands to help provide support and training to the students and staff at the Helena Goldie College of Nursing and the Helena Goldie Hospital.
Maxine and Katie will join Helen and Wendy Zernike, Director of Clinical Education, Clinical Team Leader for the project, with their first visit to the Solomons in April.
UnitingCare Health Executive Director Richard Royle will also join this trip to be part of the celebrations at this year’s Graduation Ceremony.
The 2014 graduates will include Lorene, one of the students sponsored by UCH staff last year.
As outlined in the Helena Goldie Partnership Report for 2013, there were some notable achievements last year.
“The first students to be sponsored by UnitingCare Health, Angeline and Angelina both graduated in April 2013,” said Helen.
“In addition, we are very grateful to the ongoing support of our UnitingCare Health colleagues which means another four students are studying at the Helena Goldie College of Nursing.”
Further reading:
Helena Goldie Partnership Report for 2013