Local health pioneers honoured with Name the Crane initiative

As work powers ahead on the more than $500 million Barwon Women’s and Children’s, two local healthcare professionals will be recognised with two of the project’s tower cranes named in their honour.

Minister for Health Infrastructure Melissa Horne, Member for Bellarine Alison Marchant and Member for Geelong Christine Couzens today visited the site to meet the workers who have dedicated their careers to caring for women and families across the Barwon region.

The first crane ‘Aunty Athalie’ is named after proud Yorta Yorta woman, Aunty Athalie Madden. Aunty Athalie has worked as a midwife for over 43 years and has played a significant role in developing culturally inclusive maternity support in the Barwon region.

The tower crane ‘Kym’ is named after Dr Kym Anderson who has worked as a paediatrician for the last 25 years. His work has been instrumental in leading paediatric diabetes and cancer services in the region.

Colleagues of both recipients were pleased to see Aunty Athalie and Dr Kym Anderson acknowledged for their dedication over many years to the Geelong community.

Renee Owen, Manager of Barwon Health’s Aboriginal Health Unit said Aunty Athalie was a pioneer in advocating for culturally safe health care for First Nation’s people in Geelong,

“Aunty Athalie is a proud Yort Yorta women and was a long-time midwife here at University Hospital Geelong. She’s an inspiration, and it’s a big honour to have her acknowledged for the work that she does.”

Aunty Athalie initiated our first Aboriginal antenatal clinic, which she led. The Barwon Women’s and Children’s will be a really important part of the community in providing care for the growing Aboriginal community here in our region,” she said.

Paediatrician Lawrence Gray agreed it was a wonderful initiative to honour some important members of the community who have made a huge difference at Barwon Health,

“Dr Kym Anderson has been here at Barwon Health for many decades and has done an amazing job over his career and I think he’s very deserving to have a crane named after him. It’s a great opportunity to say thanks to him but also because Kym has been responsible for creating our local children’s oncology and he’s always run that as a way for parents, children and families to all be together when receiving their care,” he said.

With main works now underway, the arrival of two giant tower cranes signals another huge milestone for the project.

Over the next two years, the ‘Aunty Athalie’ and ‘Kym’ cranes will help to build the new Barwon Women’s and Children’s tower, including a new children’s inpatient unit, new neonatal and parent care unit and more operating theatres.

Once complete, the new facility will provide women’s, maternity and children’s health facilities and deliver additional capacity to ensure families in Geelong and surrounding communities can continue to access the very best care, close to home.

The project is being delivered by the Victorian Health Building Authority (VHBA) in partnership with Barwon Health, Lyons Architecture and Built.