City shoppers help raise $60m for lifesaving treatment

TOOWOOMBA shoppers have helped raise lifesaving funds for children like Molly Schmidt.

TOOWOOMBA'S Michelle and Michael Schmidt never imagined that frequent trips to the Queensland Children's Hospital and years of uncertainty and fear would be in their young daughter Molly's future.

When a shock brain tumour diagnosis sent five-year-old Molly and her family's world into a spiral of treatments and hospital trips, there was one community that helped her family through the toughest times of their lives.

The Woolworths Wayfinders are a team of volunteers who help patients and families find their way around Queensland Children's Hospital, and the Wayfinders are celebrating their newest milestone having raise $60 million to help children like Molly.

"I hope the Woolworths Wayfinder volunteers know how much they can impact a family when they first arrive in hospital, especially with all the emotions that come with it," Mrs Schmidt said.

"For all the bad stuff, that very first day was the start of a lot of good stuff for our family too, and I will never forget their compassion."

 

 

When Molly was three, she began to complain of earaches.

The Schmidts tried everything - visits to GPs, ENT specialists, chiropractors, dentists and naturopaths all fell short until one ophthalmologist appointment led to a devastating diagnosis.

They found a slow-growing brain tumour around the nerve connecting Molly's eye to her brain.

Mrs Schmidt described feeling "helpless" when they arrived at the Queensland Children's Hospital for her daughter's first appointment with their oncologist.

"We were completely petrified, and we couldn't even muster the energy to speak to the Woolworths Wayfinding volunteers at the front desk, so I just handed her our appointment slip, and she gave me the kindest look," she said.

"The volunteer who took our slip took us into the elevator and up to our ward without a single word, and she simply patted me on the arm before she left.

"That kindness still brings me to tears."

Children's Hospital Foundation CEO Rosie Simpson said the support of the Woolworths teams and their customers have been able to keep the Wayfinders working and helping families going through the toughest times in their lives.

"When visiting my local store, I love seeing the Woolworths team's enthusiasm at collecting donations, and of course, the incredible customers who give so generously and lovingly to help our cause, and for that, I say thank you to the Woolworths community and customers for all your support," Ms Simpson said.

"Celebrating the incredible milestone of $60 million raised gives us a chance for us to say thank you, and formally recognise that we simply couldn't do what we do for sick children without the generosity of Woolworths staff and customers."

Woolworths General Manager Queensland Chris Peters said this donation would not have been possible without their amazing community of team members and customers.

 

 

"$60 million is an absolutely huge sum to have raised, and we're very proud of the effort that our teams and customers have put in," Mr Peters said.

"We feel so privileged to have such an incredible base of team members and customers in both Queensland and across the country, who are so willing to help a cause close to all of our hearts, and it's incredible to see the impact that their determination and empathy has had on hundreds and thousands of sick kids and their families."

As well as raising funds for the Wayfinders, the generosity of Woolworths customers and staff has helped fund groundbreaking medical research, entertainment and support for kids and their families, including the development of a rapid diagnostic test for meningococcal, bedside entertainment at Queensland Children's Hospital, innovative research into childhood nutrition, and lifesaving medical equipment such as ECMO pumps and monitors.

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