On 11 October 2024, the Western Health Research Week Closing and Awards Ceremony marked a momentous occasion for Western Health, shining a light on the remarkable contributions of our researchers and staff. The event, held at the Auditorium at Sunshine Hospital, was filled with positive energy as recipients and sponsors alike celebrated the impact of innovation and research as well as the power of transformative gifts in making these possible.
Associate Professor Harin Karunajeewa, Director of Clinical Research at Western Health, served as Master of Ceremonies, leading a series of award presentations that showcased the incredible breadth of research taking place within our health network.
A special thank you to our supporters
Of course, these grants would not have been possible without the generous support of our sponsors. We extend our heartfelt thanks to the following sponsors and supporters for their commitment to advancing health research in Melbourne’s west:
- Medtronic
- Plenary Health
- BankVic
- Maxxia
- Victoria University
- Footscray Rotary Aged and Community Service Fund
- Victorian Medical Research Acceleration Fund
- Telematics Trust
- Ian Rollo Currie Foundation
- and the anonymous donors of the Arlene Wake Chronic Diseases Fellowships
Anthony De Fazio, CEO of BankVic, delivered a powerful message, stating, “As a bank we don’t save lives, but you and your teams do, and our shared ethos of caring for the community is why we are here today... Our partnership with Western Health is so important to us, because you are pivotal in caring for our community, and we feel privileged to support you.”
Clare Shiell, Executive Director of Plenary Health, echoed these sentiments, saying, “We are very proud to continue supporting the incredible work of the Western Health Foundation, and to sponsor grants like these, to ensure that the ideas and innovations of the great minds at Western Health have the chance to be brought closer to reality and positively contribute to health outcomes in Melbourne's west.”
Congratulations to all the Honorees
The prestigious Arlene Wake Chronic Disease Fellowship recipients (2024/25)
- Dr Hannah Wallace for Future Health Today Implementation Trial
- Dr Kimberley Chan for Beating for Two - Pregnancy and the postpartum period, myocardial remodelling and exercise
- Katherine Baudinette for Data-driven health care - Using routine measures of frailty and function to improve outcomes for patients with chronic disease.
Kendall Francis Award for Best Podium Presentation
Recipient: Ben McElwee for Connected Care - Improving access to care with telehealth.
Robert Smith Critical Care Prize
Recipient: Dr Tarun Campion for a retrospective audit of major haemorrhage at Western Health.
Best Podium Presentation - Geriatric Medicine
Recipient: Dr Linda Appiah-Kubi for How well does a modified “Surprise Question” identify patients at risk of dying and lead to a palliative care referral?
Best Podium Presentation - Allied Health
Recipient: Nina Leggett for Digital Peer Support for ICU Survivors – a Pilot Randomised Controlled Trial (RCT).
Best Podium Presentation - Neville Yeomans
Recipient: Dr Jessica Deitch for Simplified gestational diabetes screening with triaging fasting plasma glucose reduces the burden of oral glucose tolerance tests during pregnancy
Best Podium Presentation - Nursing and Midwifery
Recipient: Kylie Feely for Reusable linen for sustainable waste reduction in the Intensive Care Unit: a prospective mixed-methods study.
Recipient: Lucy Gladwell Comparison of Childbirth Education Programs at Joan Kirner Women’s and Children’s on knowledge, satisfaction, and birth outcomes.
Best Podium Presentation - Joan Kirner Women's and Children’s Hospital
Recipient: Conor Kavanagh for Incidence, risk factors, clinical profile and outcome of neonatal pneumothorax in a tertiary care neonatal intensive care unit
Best Podium Presentation - Robert Helme Neurology
Dr Daniel Barber for Novel Biomarkers for Parkinson’s Disease
Plenary Health Innovation Grant
Recipient: Samantha Bates for LEANER – enteraL rathEr than iNntravenous Electrolyte Replacement
Maxxia Research Grant
Recipient: Dr Arun Sett for Reducing Radiation Burden in Preterm Babies Using Lung Ultrasound
BankVic Emergency Department Innovation Grant
Recipient: Footscray Hospital Emergency Department for Distraction Activities for Patients with Cognitive Impairment.
BankVic Research Grant
Recipient: Dr Nihara Abdul Rasheed for ABC Red Flags for Headaches in the Emergency Department – a proof-of-concept study for headache screening.
Medtronic International Fellow in Advanced Colorectal Cancer and Robotics
Recipient: Dr Rory Kochelaar
Victorian Medical Research Acceleration Fund
Recipient: Prof Joanne Said for Azithromycin for short cervix and amniotic fluid sludge for the prevention of preterm birth - a pilot randomised controlled trial testing efficacy of this antibiotic
Telematics Trust Award (2023/24)
Recipient: Prof Justin Yeung for Leaflet – Helping CALD communities manage chronic health and improve outcomes
Telematics Trust Award (2024/25)
Recipient: Prof Justin Yeung for ChemoRight – Reducing chemotherapy overdosing and toxicity by improving understanding of patients and clinicians of safe dosages based on unique body composition
Footscray Rotary Aged and Community Service Fund Inc
Recipient: Western Health for Implementing Models of Care to improve the care experience of people living with dementia at Western Health
Ian Rollo Currie Foundation
Recipient: Western Health for Implementing Models of Care to improve the care experience of people living with dementia at Western Health
Another great success
The ceremony concluded with a warm expression of gratitude to all those who make our research possible. The day was a reminder of the vital importance of investing in our health workers, researchers, and community. Special thanks to Red Bean Café for providing the delicious refreshments that rounded out the event.
As we look ahead, the impact of these research projects will continue to shape the future of healthcare in Melbourne’s west, and we are deeply grateful to those who support us along this journey.
