20 The Ramsay Way 2019 | 03
Ramsay supports iconic community running event
in Newcastle region
Ramsay Health Care has become the naming rights partner for the Lake Macquarie Running Festival
– one of the oldest running events on the Newcastle athletics calendar.
The festival, which attracts up to 3,000 participants each year,
celebrated its 35th anniversary in 2019.
Ramsay’s Newcastle Region CEO, Leah Gabolinscy, said:
“Ramsay Health Care is privileged to partner with the Lake
Macquarie Running Festival as a naming rights sponsor.”
“We have been a part of the community for more than 40 years,
through our operation of Lake Macquarie Private Hospital and
Warners Bay Private Hospital which incorporates Lakeside
Clinic,” Ms Gabolinscy said.
“With our ongoing commitment to the region’s health and
wellbeing, we look forward to a long-term partnership with this
iconic event.”
The Ramsay Health Care Lake Macquarie Running Festival was
held on Sunday 25 August on the foreshore of Warners Bay
Esplanade, and included events such as the Pure Performance
21.1km Half Marathon, Coal Services 10.5km Fun Run and
Yogurtland 4km Kids Scamper.
Ramsay staff, family members and doctors were offered a
reduced price entry into the event.
Event organiser Chad Griffith said: “We couldn’t continue
to run events of this size without the support of sponsors
and volunteers.”
“We have been part of people’s running calendar since 1983 in
Lake Macquarie, and we’ve seen other events come and go, but
the Lake Mac Run has stood the test of time,” Mr Griffith said.
“People love running along the beautiful shores of the lake and
we’ve got one of the fastest courses going around, so the times
are always quick.” .
Socks 4 Docs
Staff and doctors at Hillcrest Rockhampton
Private Hospital have donned crazy socks for a
morning tea to shine the spotlight on the mental
health of all doctors and health practitioners.
Crazy Socks 4 Docs, which is held on the first Friday in
June, was started as an attempt to address discrimination
faced by health professionals and to reduce suicide rates
among doctors.
Doctors experience the full range of mental health issues
– anxiety, depression, burnout, fear, anger.
Hillcrest Private Hospital CEO Fiona Hebbard spoke about
the importance of raising awareness and encouraging
conversations about mental health to help reduce the
stigma for doctors experiencing mental illness.
Dr Hillary Vincent provided a basket of crazy socks and
chocolates which were shared throughout the day. Prizes
were given to staff/doctors with the craziest socks and
everyone shared in the ‘socks and chocs’ initiative.
Medical ward nurse unit manager Caroline Dayas said it was
also nice to put a smile on the patients’ faces.
Doctors can seek help from a number of services including:
Doctors’ Health Advisory Service (dhas.org.au), Medical
Benevolent Society (mbansw.org.au) or Lifeline (13 11 14).
Warners Bay staff
lose their locks
Staff at Warners Bay Private Hospital have shaved
their heads to honour a colleague who recently
underwent cancer treatment.
Greg Hamilton has been an assistant in nursing (AIN) at
the hospital for the last eight years but was diagnosed with
stage 4 prostate cancer at the start of 2019.
A friend of Greg’s, Housekeeping Team Leader Geoff
Robson, instigated the charity head shave to raise money
for Greg while he was going through treatment.
Mr Robson said: “Greg is a very well-loved part of the
rehabilitation team at Warners Bay, so we wanted to do
something to support him during this tough time.”
He managed to recruit four other staff members, Michael
Cunninghame, Sue Rafferty, Rod Simon and Colin
Hutchinson, who all lost their locks for the cause. Colleagues
Sue May and Dawn Redman also gave their
time to promote the event for Greg.
The team raised an impressive $6,000 for the grandfather
to put towards his treatment. Doctors recently gave
him the all clear to return to work, after six months of
chemotherapy treatment.
Mr Hamilton said: “I’m overwhelmed and humbled by
everyone’s generosity and it feels great to be back
at work with everyone.”
HOHSOPSITPAITLA NL ENWESWS
Mark Harrison (GP Liaison and Business Relationship Manager
LMPH and WBPH), Sharon Rewitt (Deputy CEO WBPH),
Leah Gabolinscy (CEO LMPH and WBPH) and Chad Griffith
(Event Organiser Lake Macquarie Running Festival).
Geoff Robson – Team Leader, Housekeeping; Colin Hutchinson – Maintenance Officer; Greg Hamilton;
Michael Cunninghame – Maintenance Manager; Sue Rafferty – Housekeeping; Rod Simon – Theatre Assistant.