This week marks 30 years since the Mackay Birth Centre opened its doors to the region’s expectant mums. It will be an extra special celebration when Hayden Powell and Jessika Novikov turn 30 on June 26. Their birthday marks the anniversary of the first babies actually born at the centre. Hayden was the second baby… [Read More]

A cup of tea and a chat with a longtime local is bringing connectedness and joy to the elderly in Proserpine. Christine Lade is part of the Whitsunday Homecare team which provides basic support services, including domestic assistance and social support, to about 250 clients across the region. She helps seniors maintain their dignity and… [Read More]

Nickey Pilgrim’s never tires of being stopped in the street or at the supermarket to fawn over a new baby. Chances are she was probably at the birth or provided pre-natal or antenatal care to the mother. The Proserpine midwife originally gave up her nursing career when she moved to the Whitsundays in 2016 to… [Read More]

Clinical trials in regional communities are helping patients get early access to new treatments and medical technology as well as enabling them to help pioneer medical options for future generations. Since 2023, more than 100 patients across Mackay Hospital and Health Service (HHS) have participated in a range of clinical trials which are vital for… [Read More]

When clinical nurse consultant Jess Foord arrived at work at Mackay Base Hospital this morning, she heard the sound of a woman in labour. “I thought ‘oh I know that sound’,” Jess, who is a mum of four, said. “So I just headed in that direction.” She was not the first on scene as Birth… [Read More]