Ogden family sells lambs at Bendigo for Good Friday Appeal

Katrina Ogden’s journey with the Royal Children’s Hospital began back in 2013, and she has been raising money every year since to give back to the hospital.

For 11 years Katrina Ogden has been selling 10 lambs at the Bendigo saleyards before Easter, to raise money for the Good Friday Appeal.

Based at Wanalta, where Katrina and her husband Bill run mostly sheep, her family’s journey with the Royal Children’s Hospital began back in 2013 when her middle son, Heath, just 15 months old at the time, was suffering from pneumonia.

“We took him to Bendigo Hospital and they did as much as they could there, but to do the operations and sort everything else out was a bit much, so we then went straight to RCH,” Katrina said.

“They did a fantastic job down there they honestly did. They saved our son’s life.”

Pictured: L-R William, Billy, Heath, Katrina and Thomas Ogden with the pen of lambs they are selling for the Royal Children's Hospital Good Friday Appeal. Picture: Zoe Phillips

The annual sale began after the family returned from the week-long hospital stint, and decided to fatten a few lambs up and sell them down at the saleyards to donate the money back to the RCH.

Katrina doesn’t see the sale slowing down anytime soon, and said that they’ve had incredible support from the community, and especially Elders and the meat buyers.

“Elders pump us up every year to get the meat buyers on song with us so they know what it’s all about, and I can’t fault them … the work they all do is greatly appreciated,” she said.

Katrina said 12-year-old Heath is fit and firing, into his sport and “doesn’t hold back at all”, and while she knows it’s a tough time for many households, is encouraging anyone who can to dig deep and donate to the Good Friday Appeal.

“For all those little kids down there that are obviously having the toughest battle of their lives.”