Joey opens new children’s playground

A young boy who is making a remarkable recovery from a traumatic brain injury will today open a new playground for unwell youngsters as part of the final stage of the new $8 million Townsville Hospital children’s ward.

Despite spending more than a month in the children’s ward, Joey Donald, 8, has no recollection of the playground springing up just outside his room.

Joey fell from his horse during a ride on his family’s Lake Eacham cattle property in November and was rushed to Atherton Hospital before being airlifted to The Townsville Hospital’s paediatric intensive care unit (PICU).

Mum Sarah Mohammed said Joey was diagnosed with Diffused Axonal Injury which has a 25 per cent mortality rate and a 90 per cent chance of permanent brain damage.

“We were told that it was more likely than not that our little boy was going to die but the team in PICU saved his life,” she said.

“We were in PICU for a month and then in the children’s ward over Christmas and New Year and on 15 January we went to the Children’s Hospital in Brisbane so Joey could do some really intensive rehabilitation.”

Sarah said nine months on, Joey’s recovery had been extraordinary although he still had a long journey ahead.

“We’ve had to start again with him and watch him say his first word, take his first steps and eat his first meal,” she said.

“We’ve been told that it takes two years for the brain to heal. Every time he reaches a milestone I think, ‘if this is as good as it gets, I’ll be happy’ but then he reaches another one.

“He is now walking and talking, he feeds the chooks and bottle feeds our calves, he is going to school two hours a day and we are just so happy to still have him with us.”

Townsville Hospital Foundation chair Associate Professor Anthony Leicht said the new children’s playground was the last component of the $8 million children’s ward redevelopment of which the Foundation contributed $1.2 million.

Dr Leicht said the North Queensland community’s response to supporting the fund-raising for the new children’s ward had been extraordinary.

“I hear stories like Joey’s from our community every other day and the support for the range of children’s services we provide in Townsville is huge,” he said.

“For our community to raise $1.2 million to support this brilliant new ward is simply extraordinary.

“This playground represents the final cherry on top of the project, and we are absolutely delighted by the feedback from the staff and families.”

Dr Leicht said the Foundation provided a number of contributions to the project including the new playground, an interactive visual display, murals and equipment for a ‘teenagers’ room’.

Townsville Hospital and Health Service Board Chair Tony Mooney said the children’s ward was an essential cog in the continued delivery of timely, compassionate and world-class care for children in North Queensland.

As part of the redevelopment, the number of beds has increased from 23 to 30, the floor space has almost doubled to allow for more single and dual rooms and the old ward was completely refurbished.

“I’d like to acknowledge the contribution of the State Government, the Townsville community with its contributions to the Townsville Hospital Foundation and the Commonwealth for making this new children’s ward a reality,” he said.

“In 2001 we had 2000 children spend at least one night in the ward, now we have more than 3000.

“This increase in demand is significant and not likely to change which is why providing appropriate and modern health infrastructure like the new children’s ward is so important.

“Beds and infrastructure are important but so are the extras that the Foundation has been instrumental in delivering and I commend them for this brilliant new playground.”

The children’s ward was officially opened by Premier Annastacia Palaszscuk on 16 May 2018.