RBWH puts spotlight on infectious disease 

Since his wife’s admission into hospital in late October, Lawrie has arrived early at the hospital each day, patiently waiting for visiting hours to open at 9am, so he can spend the day sitting with her.

After experiencing a stroke in mid-October triggering a diagnosis of ovarian cancer, the wheels were set in motion for Lawrie’s wife’s care, as she was transferred from the Sunshine Coast University Hospital to Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital.  

“They got us down here really quick, and they were in touch with us the whole time,” Lawrie said.  

“Everyone has been phenomenal, the nurses and the doctors, and their communication with us has kept us in the loop all along the way.”  

Lawrie and his wife live on the Sunshine Coast, having managed properties and worked on heavy machinery during his working life. In their retirement they dedicated seven years to travelling around Australia while Lawrie did occasional work at cattle stations.  

During once such stay at a cattle station 400km south of Alice Springs, Lawrie woke up early in the morning to find he was having a heart attack. With help from the Royal Flying Doctors, Lawrie was treated at a local medical centre and then transferred to Alice Springs and later Adelaide.  

Through his experiences navigating the healthcare all over Australia, Lawrie cannot speak highly enough of the nurses and doctors who have looked after him and are now caring for his wife.  

“The public system is brilliant. The care we have received has been phenomenal,” Lawrie said.