Toowoomba Hospital pediatric ward comes alive for Book Week 2024

Kids who have to spend the much-loved Book Week in hospital won’t miss out this year, as Toowoomba Hospital’s pediatric ward comes alive with costumes and book giveaways.

Kofe Willis-Duncan, Shainareign Ralutin and Sofe Willis-Duncan at the Toowoomba Hospital Book Week day.

As schools around Australia join in the festivities and costume-making of Book Week, kids in hospital won’t miss out thanks to the staff and volunteers of Toowoomba Hospital.

The Toowoomba Hospital pediatric ward lit up on Thursday in a literary celebration as volunteers from the Toowoomba Hospital Foundation and staff made their way around the beds giving out a little bit of cheer in the form of books.

Four-year-old Pyper Anna Rose Charlie Serong was given a book at the Toowoomba Hospital Book Week day.

While the hospital has done small events for Book Week in previous years, Toowoomba Hospital schoolteacher Jenny Quodling decided to take it all an extra mile.

“Books open up a gateway to different adventures and different lives and bring this perspectives to kids that don’t necessarily always have that, and it’s magic in itself to be transported to another time and another place,” she said.

With the enthusiasm from the staff, they all donned costumes for the day and brought in Sunny, the hospital sunflower mascot around to give books out to the children in the wards.

Toowoomba Hospital schoolteacher Jenny Quodling at the Toowoomba Hospital Book Week day.

Shainareign Ralutin and Kofe Willis-Duncan were with their daughter Sofe, who had been back and forth between Toowoomba and Brisbane hospitals since March this year.

The whole family was in smiles as they received a book.

“This never happens so we just had to come out, say hi and get a book,” Ms Ralutin said.

The books ranged for all ages and were donated by the Toowoomba Hospital Foundation.

Ty-Harna Davidson at the Toowoomba Hospital Book Week day.