Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital

If you’ve ruled yourself out from being an organ and tissue donor due to past lifestyle or health reasons, it might be time to think again. 🤔

RBWH Donation Specialist Nurse Lorraine urges people to ‘count yourself in, not out’, explaining that there are many misconceptions about organ and tissue donation, particularly around habits like drinking and smoking.

"Many people think they’re not eligible to be an organ donor due to being too old, or having been a drinker or smoker,” she said.

“It’s best to make a decision based on your beliefs and values. Let the medical experts consider all the medical information and decide your eligibility to donate at the time of your death."

“Just because one organ may not be suitable for donation, doesn’t mean all other organs and tissue is ruled out too. We’ve had people in their 80s donate organs, we’ve had people in remission from cancer become donors, as well as many who believe their lifestyle choices would preclude them from donating.”

Lorraine said she feels privileged to support families who are considering donation at one of the most difficult times of their life. ❤️‍🩹

“Donors often tell me this is the one positive thing to come out of a tragic situation, and it gives them a sense of hope. It's an honour to be able to grant people's wishes at the end of their life.”

"One organ donor can save seven lives, and tissue donors can help people see again, walk again and return to work and family. For newborns and young children, donor heart tissue saves lives and bone donation may help teens with bone cancer.”

“You can even receive tendons for sport injuries and skin donations for burns patients.”

Find out more at the Donate Life website www.donatelife.gov.au/all-about-donation/who-can-donate ... See MoreSee Less

👉 RBWH patient Adam's story might just be the inspiration you need to kick some goals, after he recently became Australia's first dialysis patient to run a marathon.

Adam's journey began in 2012 with a diagnosis of chronic granulomatous disease, a condition which weakens his infection-fighting white blood cells, making him more susceptible to infections.

Six years after this diagnosis, Adam's kidney's failed and in 2019 he was the recipient of a donor kidney. Unfortunately, he contracted an infection and spent seven months at RBWH, where he had six surgeries on top of his three weekly dialysis sessions.

Despite these challenges, Adam was determined not to let his diagnosis define him and he made the decision to work towards running a marathon. 🏃‍♂️‍➡️

Adam consulted with a range of Metro North specialist teams over a three-year period to ensure he could complete the marathon safely. This included conducting numerous tests and simulations, and strict nutritional and hydration guidance.

With the support of his family and friends and the Metro North team, Adam completed the marathon, running 42km in just over five hours, which is around the same time it takes for him to dialyse every second day. 🏅

"I wanted to show my kids that even if you're dealt a few rough cards in life, it's still up to you what you make of it. You get a choice, and you can choose to give up or not."

Congratulations to Adam on this remarkable outcome. May you be an inspiration to everyone you meet. ... See MoreSee Less

🦴 When it comes to healthy skeletons, RBWH registrar Dr Lachie makes no bones about looking after yours as a top priority, especially as our population ages.

During his term with the Geriatric Evaluation and Management Service (GEMS) team at Caboolture Hospital, Dr Lachie saw a number of patients whose undiagnosed osteoporosis was contributing to preventable injuries and possibly landing them in hospital.

🩺 Dr Lachie's interests in prevention as well as community-based rehabilitation play an important part in a patient's recovery, and he believes that prevention is the best medicine.

"Fractures from small falls are considered minimal trauma, and these falls from a standing height are sometimes the first indication of osteoporosis," he says.

"While treatment is easily managed, prevention is a much better way to avoid long-term problems."

"Having a good, continuous relationship with your GP and getting regular health checks as well as keeping active are the best preventative measures." ... See MoreSee Less

Queenslanders know there's no place like home. Luckily for students studying to become Nuclear Medicine Scientists, they now have an opportunity to complete their studies in the sunshine state. 🏠💓

Queensland Health has partnered with @rmituniversity to offer Queensland students studying Nuclear Medicine opportunities with three Metro North Health teams as part of the Embedded Students Program.

RBWH Technical Director of Nuclear Medicine Travis is excited to provide training and cutting-edge healthcare opportunities for students, with RBWH and TPCH currently taking applications for the 2026 program.

"We're excited to open the doors to Queenslanders who haven't been able to undertake Nuclear Medicine studies previously due to geographical limitations," Travis shared.

"Both school leavers and mature aged students have had no choice but to be away from their families in the past, which is a hard decision to make."

Alexander from TPCH understands the need for a local workforce to have access to the program, especially as the demand for services and the aging population increases.

"We've been looking at ways to improve access for students and recruit locals, as we want to train people who want to work in their community."

Scholarships of up to $15,000 per year are available for eligible students enrolled in the program. Click here for more information: www.health.qld.gov.au/ahwac/html/cet/nms-embedded-student-program ... See MoreSee Less