Good Friday Appeal: record smashed, final tally tops $23m

The final tally of the 93rd Good Friday Appeal was revealed at midnight – $23,061,320 to help Melbourne’s Royal Children’s Hospital and its young patients.

This year’s Good Friday Appeal has once again smashed records, raising more than $23m to go towards Melbourne’s Royal Children’s Hospital.

The $23,061,320 tally of the appeal was revealed at midnight and has surpassed last year’s effort of more than $22m.

Communities around Victoria and beyond have dug deep, producing another exceptional record-breaking fundraising total donation tally for The Royal Children’s Hospital Good Friday Appeal.

The final tally for the 2023 Good Friday Appeal is $23,061,320! pic.twitter.com/pkYyheF8kP

— Good Friday Appeal (@GoodFriAppeal) April 7, 2023

The funds will ensure the RCH can continue providing the youngest patients – such as Aru Patel, who is preparing for her third battle against post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorder (PTLD) – with world-class treatment.

Aru was just one when she received a heart transplant from Melbourne’s Royal Children’s Hospital after being diagnosed with a rare condition called viral myocarditis.

At six she is thrilled to be the face of the 93rd Good Friday ­Appeal to help raise funds no matter how big or small.

The 2023 appeal was helped by Anthony Albanese’s $6m pledge over three years and Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews’ $1m pledge.

“I’m proud to support this fantastic initiative, to ensure Australian children and their families can continue to access world-class health care right here in Australia,” the Prime Minister said in a statement on Friday.

Chairman of the Good Friday Appeal and The Herald & Weekly Times, Penny Fowler, thanked all the volunteers across the state.

“The thousands of people who volunteer are the driving force behind the appeal who give their time and effort selflessly,” Ms Fowler said.

“Our volunteers are such a powerful and committed group ready to shake tins, answer phones, count coins, host events and to do whatever is needed willingly and generously.”

Supporting Kids Day for RCH were Penny Fowler, Premier Dan Andrews and Victorian Health Minister Mary Anne Thomas in the phone room. Picture: Wayne Taylor

About 83,000 families had packed into Melbourne Convention Centre on Friday for the appeal’s Kids Day Out where Premier Daniel Andrews kicked off donations with the $1m pledge. The appeal broke records last year, helped by the Premier’s $2m government donation, raising more than $22m.

“Victorians have got big hearts, they’re very generous and I have no doubt that this year we will beat the very impressive $22m from last year,” Mr Andrews said.

Meanwhile, Aru’s story shows how the funds help children.

Smital Patel said while her daughter used to scream and experience anxiety around doctors, Aru was now a “pro” at her weekly hospital visits. “It was an up and down journey for us, like a roller coaster. When she was younger, she has been through hell,” Mrs Patel said. “We had to see the child psychologist at the Royal Children’s, play therapists, music therapists … As she got older, she did understand she’s got a complex condition and that she has to go to the hospital and these people are there to help her and not harm her.”

Faces of the Royal Children’s Hospital appeal, Arlo, 2, and Aru, 6. Picture: Mark Stewart

The Patels hope to take Aru to India one day where her family are waiting to meet her.

“One day, fingers crossed, if everything goes well, we will be able to go see our country, see our family and [Aru] gets to know where we were,” Mrs Patel said.

Good Friday Appeal executive director Rebecca Cowan said the funds raised would go towards ­upgrades, equipment and research with a focus on mental health.

“The community’s always been incredibly generous but we also know it’s been pretty tough on a lot of people and very challenging so we’re grateful for every dollar that’s donated and every dollar really helps make meaningful change,” she said.