Community Update – Quarter 3 2025
During July, August and September we admitted 58 patients into our care at Fitzroy Community Hospice, with an average length of stay of 8.45 days. During our patients’ time with us, we focus on providing a peaceful, calming, home-like environment where we honour and celebrate a life well lived and well loved. Compassion, dignity and respect are at the heart of everything our Clinical team do for our patients and their families, supported by our wonderful group of Care and Support Volunteers.
Our Fundraising and Community Engagement team has been working hard behind the scenes on many different activities, events and initiatives. Our new Supportive Care Coordinator Joanne Bell has hit the ground running since commencing in August, implementing new elements to our bereavement support program. Read on to find out more about our upcoming events and new services.
In July, we had our first visitors stay overnight in our new self-contained 2-bedroom apartment on our lower level. The apartment is now often used by families who have travelled from outside Central Queensland to visit loved ones at Fitzroy Community Hospice. It’s yet another way we can help families feel comfortable, supported and connected in times when it truly matters most.
Some of our team travelled to Brisbane in September to attend the Oceanic Palliative Care Conference, joining over 1,600 health professionals from across Australia and beyond. The conference highlighted new ideas, shared experiences, and reaffirmed our collective commitment to delivering compassionate, person-centred care throughout the palliative journey and at end-of-life. CEO-DCS Beth Thomas and Board Director Dr Vicki Richmond presented our Hospice model at the conference, particularly the community engagement and support that underpinned our establishment, and insights into designing a successful model of care for regional hospices.
Bereavement initiatives and support
Our Cuppa & Chat Bereavement Drop-In Sessions commenced in July, providing a welcoming space for people experiencing grief to share their feelings, connect with others, and receive guidance from experienced counsellors.
These sessions are free-of-charge and no bookings are necessary – just come along for a Cuppa and a Chat with zero expectations.
Community engagement
Our community engagement activities over the past few months have included a presentation to the students at St Ursula’s College in Yeppoon, a visit out west to exhibit at the inaugural Theodore Health Expo, a breakfast with Yeppoon GPs to discuss our referral process, a presentation at the Iwasaki Foundation’s 40th Anniversary Morning Tea, participation in a Bidgerdii Elders Group meeting, and a presentation for Red Cross Rockhampton. We relish the opportunity to meet with as many groups within our community as possible, to share information on the care and support that is available here at the Hospice. We look forward to continuing our work in this space and increasing community awareness of our special facility.
UPCOMING EVENTS
New Auxiliary
FUNDRAISING WRAP UP
Fitzroy Community Hospice hosted two fundraising events last quarter: Christmas in July was held at Rocky Sports Club to the delight of our 80 guests, and to our delight the event raised $2,658. In September we held our 4th Annual Charity Golf Day which raised a whopping $37,000 – our biggest and best yet! Thank you to everyone who contributed to the incredible success of our Golf Day, especially Major Sponsors Cooper McCullough Group and Patcol Group, our 12 Hole Sponsors, and Rockhampton Golf Club for always being excellent hosts. Find out who won the trophy this year and check out the photo gallery. The Golf Day will be back next year on Friday 4 September 2026!
Third-party fundraisers
We’d like to say a HUGE thank you to the following fundraisers who supported us during July, August and September:
Rockhampton Brothers Senior Rugby League Ladies Day raised $4,000
St Ursula’s College Flame Day and Netball Marathon raised $5,020
ETS Compound Golf Day raised $7,487.80
If you are looking for a charity to support with your event, or you’d like to create your own fundraiser for the Hospice, we would love to hear from you! Please get in touch with us by emailing fundraising@fitzroyhospice.org.au.
FOUNDING PARTNER SPOTLIGHT
We’d like to take a moment to say a special thank you to the Rotary Club of Rockhampton South. This Club has been so generous with their support of the Hospice since the beginning of our project, signing on as a Pioneer Founding Partner all the way back in November 2022. They also contributed many volunteer hours in the lead up to our opening last year, helping to paint existing structures and plant out the garden, as well as supporting us when we celebrated our Formal Opening with helpers on the ground to make sure the event ran smoothly.
There have been other contributions as well – both large and small – but suffice to say we couldn’t have come as far as we have without this club’s tremendous support. Thank you, Rotary Club of Rockhampton South!
