Sandiford resident Colin Johnson has been through a gruelling 12 months following his cancer diagnosis in August 2019. Months of chemotherapy and radiation to successfully treat his head, neck and throat cancer impacted the 62-year-old’s voice and swallow function. “I’ve got this horrible gravelly voice but I’m still a good-looking rooster,” Colin said. “All jokes… [Read More]

Mackay Hospital and Health Service speech pathologists are using Speech Pathology Week as an opportunity to highlight the profession and work speech pathologists do to help everyone communicate with confidence. More than one million Australians have a communication disability that affects a person’s ability to understand and be understood by others. Mackay Base Hospital speech… [Read More]

A transplant recipient is one of hundreds of Mackay HHS residents benefitting from an innovation in telehealth. During the COVID-19 pandemic Mackay HHS launched the Telehealth Patient on Own Device (TelePOD) service reducing the number of patients leaving their home unnecessarily. On 27 February, Airlie Beach dad Darren Attwood had a kidney transplant in Brisbane,… [Read More]

Being part of a team coordinating life-changing procedures for transplant recipients and their families is a role Rachel James holds with great privilege and pride.  The newly appointed Mackay Hospital and Health Service transplant coordinator brings more than 15 years of renal experience to assist and guide potential kidney recipients through the transplant process.  Starting her nursing career at the Melbourne Private Hospital in 2005, Rachel said it was a specialised nursing opportunity that piqued her interest in renal care. … [Read More]

Patients presenting to Proserpine Hospital with an ischaemic stroke now have access to a new clot-busting treatment gaining international attention for its reduction in long-lasting damage to the brain. Proserpine is the first hospital in rural Queensland to be using the life-saving treatment, Tenecteplase. Patients who receive the clot busting drug will increase their chance… [Read More]