It’s just not Australian if, by any means you don’t support even one charity during the festive Christmas season. However, times when we are in a rush to look charitable by supporting charity groups which only spring up during Christmas time, to distribute gifts, after which we don’t hear from them again.
As we enjoy this year’s Christmas festive season, let us all spare a moment to remember some of our brothers and sisters; the young and the old who might not be able to fully participate in the festivities, not because they wouldn’t wish to. but just because they have been incapacitated in one way or another. Some of them may be in their hospital beds fighting chronic diseases, some might be limited because of disability, and others might be war veterans who gallantly served this country both at home and abroad, picking lifetime injuries in the process, while some might even be disadvantaged young people who feel that the society has neglected them for to long.
Considering the above named disadvantaged groups in our midst, it is time we took our hats off for the dedicated charitable organizations which have been doing their best in tending to such groups on a fulltime basis, including over the Christmas festivities. The people who work in such organizations, especially those tending to the sick, have sometimes sacrifice their own comfort even during special occasions like Christmas so that they can be there for the sick and helpless.
As we celebrate this year’s Christmas, let us take a few minutes to remember what some of these charitable organizations have been able to accomplish over the years. Most of them have faithfully served the disadvantaged in our society for so long regardless of the season. These organizations usually raise funds for their activities by organizing fundraising events and lottery draws; the money collected goes into charity work. The best way one can support their noble mission is by buying lottery tickets from them. Some of the topmost charitable organizations in Australia include:
RSL Art Union
This is an organization that was formed several decades back and it is well known, in Australia and beyond, for its charity work and the life-changing activities that it has been engaged in throughout the country. The organization has, over the years, managed to raise funds through lottery draws to support Australian war veterans who include former and even present ADF personnel along with their families and dependents.
The beneficiaries include both the union members and non-members, who usually have some unfortunate story after having bravely served their country. Some are young uniformed men and women coming back home from long missions abroad are unable to piece together their lives from where they left it. Since we live in a highly dynamic society, most of these youngsters feel alienated from the rest of society because the kind of life they are used to in the military is totally different from what they face out there. It becomes some kind of culture shock and they definitely need a guiding hand that can help to connect them with their families and reintegrate them back to society. RSL Art Union steps in to do the needful and offers the much needed hand to such young soldiers.
There are several others who are perpetually haunted by memories of gory scenes they witnessed in the Warfield, making them suffer from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) which necessitates both physical and emotional rehabilitation. A good number of them picked serious injuries that left them incapacitated while others fell ill, as a result of the effects of war taking their toll, hence making them unable to fend for themselves and their dependants. The rigorous procedures they have to go through to access pension and welfare programs don’t make things any easier for these heroes. RSL steps in to offer such people financial security and other basic needs.
The organization does this by offering the veterans free welfare services, rehabilitation, affordable emergency accommodation, advocacy and free pension. Since this is an ongoing long-term program, the RSL Art Union has initiated a world-class research project on PTSD, worth $1.75 million. This will allow the organization to be able serve well, the thousands of military personnel coming back home, from various wars in usually unstable mental and physical conditions.
RSL also initiated Mates4Mates, which is a new project aimed at offering support to former ADF personnel, who picked up injuries in war, together with their families. The project aims at providing welfare and health services, which include employment support, physical rehabilitation, mentorship and counseling.
The RSL Art Union has formulated a unique way that allows all people who may wish to support the country’s war heroes together with their families, to easily do so. This is done through the lottery draws organized by the RSL Art Union. Whenever you purchase tickets in these draws, you should bear in mind that you are actually supporting the veterans and current ADF personnel. So apart from participating in the most expensive and largest prize homes lottery in the country, you will also be supporting a noble cause.
By participating in the draws you kill two birds using one stone since you stand a chance of winning various prizes that include luxury homes located in some of the best areas of Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria. It is also possible for one to be a VIP member of the RSL Art Union whereby the membership fee is used to help the veterans and their dependants. This makes the organization one of the most faithful supporters of the disadvantaged in society even during this festive season and all round the year.
Boys Town
During this Christmas festive season, many young people who are jobless and maybe without family, find themselves in a big dilemma as they watch their peers from well to do families enjoy themselves over this season of partying with lots of dining and wining amongst family members. The disadvantaged youths in society need special attention, if ills that bedevil society like prostitution, drug dealing and armed robbery are to be decisively dealt with.
As we visit the homeless and other disadvantaged groups to dish out gifts, while the mood of generosity is still in the air, it is important to remember this special group of people in our society. But more importantly, let us remember the organizations that are engaged in supporting and rehabilitating disadvantaged youths on a fulltime basis. One such organization is the Boys Town, which is fully engaged in helping this group of youths to find meaning in their lives through various ongoing programs.
Support Services
Online and telephone counseling, group support and workshops, also counseling youths face to face. The group uses experienced counselors to offer professional support and help to the youth. They have a help-line for parents and their children, which is usually open 24 hours a day 7 days a week.
Education an Employment
The Boys Town organization conducts several training and educational programs that seek to make disadvantaged youths better their lives and even seek higher education; eventually, employment. The programs concentrate on numeracy and literacy so as to boost the youth confidence.
Refuge and accommodation
They offer accommodation for the homeless families. One such accommodation project is the San Miguel Family Center which supports and shelters such families temporarily. Boys Town also offers temporary refuge and support services for women and children running away from domestic violence and sexual harassment cases.
Boys Town as an organization helped over 2 million children and families between the period of 2012 and 2013 alone. This is no mean feat and it is enough reason to keep supporting the organization through purchase of tickets in the lottery draws that they organize regularly.
The Royal Melbourne Hospital (RMH)
The Royal Melbourne hospital is one of the most prominent names in the Australian charitable organization circles that will most certainly be offering services to the unfortunate in society this Christmas season.
- Set up over a century ago, the RMH Foundation’s main focus is community health which they achieve by offering
- Quality and affordable healthcare services
- Educating health professionals $
- Innovative research
Some of the other main services aimed at bettering patients’ lives include:
Emergence Department (ED)
The hospital’s Emergence Department handles the biggest number of emergencies in Victoria. This is estimated to be 60,000 patients each year. This includes 900 major traumatic cases together with 16,000 others brought by ambulance.
The department’s location is in Parkville Precinct which includes “University of Melbourne”, and the “Royal Women Hospital”, 2 research centers and 2 private hospitals.
Outpatient Department
The outpatients Department in the hospital, handles most of the cases directed to them from the ambulatory Care Center, at the RMH in the “city campus”
It has a variety of surgical, medical and other specialized clinics within the first floor. More than 900 patients are seen in the outpatient department. The now much improved outpatient wing has all the facilities it needs to function efficiently. There is a completely new queue and appointment management system which has enhanced the patients’ experience. Over 4000 patients are expected to be examined on a weekly basis in this department. There are also several other departments within the hospital dealing with various fields which include dermatology, cancer services, kidney care, plastic surgery and many more.
In-Reach residential Care Services
This is an option for the Emergency Department to offer high and low care to patients in their residential facilities. When there is need, nursing and medical outreach specialists pay visits to the patients’ residence to offer services which include: radiology, pathology and nursing assessment. They sometimes carry the Hospital In The Home (HITH) when necessary. This goes a long way to help patients who have emergency cases but are unable to reach the hospital for the necessary medical care.
RMH Research
The RMH runs a research center whose main focus is enhancing care for patients, promoting innovation in delivery of health services and seeking to improve present clinical practices. This includes:
- Encouraging collaboration with other credible organizations to optimize research opportunities.
- Supporting and encouraging the health care staff to be part of the research teams.
- Optimization of research in health policy and clinical practice.
- Promoting Melbourne and Parkville Precinct health as top research centers.
The RMH has maintained long-term ties with some world-class research centers, which further proves the hospital’s relentless commitment towards refined provision of health care, research and teaching services.
RMH Volunteer service
The RMH volunteer service program is conducted in the campuses of City and Royal Park.
There are over 400 volunteers spread in more than 25 programs. 90 more volunteers have been recruited in the year 2014 alone.
All volunteers across all programs play an important role in enhancing patients’ experience within the hospital, and also visitors regardless of whether they are short term or long term. The volunteer program usually involves contacting patients and visitors directly to relieve staff in the organization.
All these and many more other services offered by the RMH get their funding from the fund- raising activities that are organized by the RMH on a regular basis. These include the prize home lotteries in which people buy tickets in order to win a luxury home. Buy a ticket this festive season and you might just be the lucky winner and if not, the money will go into helping the many patients awaiting help in the RMH.
Mater Foundation
The Mater foundation is known as one of oldest charitable organization having opened their first hospital in 1906. With about 8000 workers together with the help of “Sisters of Mercy”, the foundation has been able to give sympathetic care to the sick and needy people basing their service on mercy, dignity, care, quality and commitment. Currently the foundation operates a chain of 7 hospitals with 4 being private while 3 are for uninsured patients.
These hospitals are always committed to meet the changing needs of community. The hospital has attracted international recognition for its advancement in healthcare services. The hospitals provide excellent service to more than half a million patients annually, in the country. This selfless service to the community on a fulltime basis, even during this festive season is a true mark of commitment. The Mater Health services stand out from the rest because of:
Clinical excellence
The Mater foundation puts aside lots of resources dedicated towards developing the latest technicalities, methodologies and practices that can help patients to get only the best medical services. The urge to discover, advance, adopt & adapt and improve on service delivery keeps them ahead of the pack in the field of medical sciences and health care services.
Offering education to health care providers of tomorrow
The foundation assigns a substantial amount of funds into educating new health care personnel for the sake of future generations.
Life-saving equipment's
The mater foundation purchases the latest life-saving equipment for their health services for them to be in a position of offering the best services to their patients and their families.
Following in the footsteps of sisters of mercy
Every aspect of the organization follows in the footsteps of sisters of mercy- be it social innovation or searching for creative ways of solving pending community challenges. They do this through tending to health needs of refugees, offering maternal care, taking care of the homeless and many other services. Mater foundation also invests heavily on research so as to continue taking their health care services a notch higher.
Mater research
The Mater foundation is recognized worldwide for its medical research activities. The research is aimed at discovering new solutions for both prevention and treatment of ailments and conditions that affect all people young and old, so that they can be able to lead better and healthier lives.
Having started its operations in 1998, with a lean staff of ten people, it has gradually grown to international standards making a name for itself as a renowned research institute. With so many original programs having been kicked off, the institute has been able to attract top class scientists from all over the world. The Mater Research focuses on different chronic ailments such as cancer, diabetes, leukemia ad heart diseases.
Understanding and prevention of diseases
The Mater hospitals work hard towards improving healthcare by seeking in-depth understanding of diseases. Despite the strides made in improving the quality of patients’ lives, some diseases still pose a challenge to the modern health services. Researchers are still looking forward to an improved understanding of biological, environmental and genetic grounds of the diseases so as to develop effective treatment.
Improving disease treatment
The foundation offers better health care due to improved research. The health care workers in collaboration with scientists are working jointly to improve the quality of patients that suffer from various injuries, disorders and diseases. They do this through the help of advanced diagnostic methods.
Focus on mothers and babies health
They ensure the health of both mother and child before and after birth is assured. More than 10,000 babies are born in Mater hospitals annually.
During pregnancy, a number of health problems may arise for both mothers and their unborn babies. Clinical researchers and scientists work hard in order to make progress in diagnosing and also treating various health problems that affect both mother and child.
Health development
Babies need to develop well in their mothers ‘wombs, so that their health will be assured even after they are born. Health challenges that face mothers during pregnancy can adversely affect their babies. Research is being conducted on this area so as to avoid the suffering of children, from diseases and genetic disorders.
A cure for such children who may suffer from a disease or disorder, in such circumstances, is also being sought.
The Mater Foundation has been at the forefront in improving the lives of patients and the community in many different ways, especially by offering affordable and subsidized healthcare. The foundation draws most of its funding from the lottery draws which they organize regularly. The Mater prize home lottery was started in 1954 and has since grown tremendously. The money collected from the sale of draw tickets is what funds all the noble activities of mater hospital. As we enjoy ourselves over this Christmas, let us take a moment to think about those in hospital (both patients and care-givers). How can we help them?
It is simple. Just buy tickets from Mater Prize home lottery and stand a chance of winning fabulous prizes. However, more important is the fact that, the money collected from the tickets goes into funding all the above listed activities which immensely improve the lives of patients.
