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Lucy and Roisin are two of our Medical Imaging Assistants working in Metro North as they complete their Nuclear Medicine studies, and some of our 10,000 new health workers across QLD. 💫

While they are in the first year of their degrees, the students spend two days on the job learning from experts and working with patients.

Eighteen year old Roisin always had an interest in physics and knew that she wanted to work in this area after meeting someone in the field at a careers day.

“I also loved healthcare - it seemed like the natural fit for me, and I would like to try stay at RBWH when I finish my study because the environment is great,” Roisin said.

Lucy agreed that the hands-on training with her degree made it a natural choice.

“I think it’s such a niche profession and it has a critical shortage of staff - but PET is growing and a lot of people are in need of those scans, so it’s great to contribute to that,” Lucy added. ...

"I was born in Murgon, near Gympie and lived on my father`s farm. Working with my father, he had subsequently bought me the farm across the road which became available, so I was a land owner at 17. We did dairy farming mainly; the country itself grew enough grass to milk cows. However, the lovely lady I married wasn`t a farmer`s wife, she was very intelligent and a talented pianist. So, we sold up and I got into pushing pens after milking cows, I adapted well and got my degree in economics and became an accountant. To my younger self, I`d say go for it again, you did some foolish things but overall, I`m fairly proud of what I have achieved."
💭 Monday Mantra, Bill, RBWH Ward 9A South Patient ...

Queensland mum and Townsville nurse Melainie knew something wasn`t quite right with her health, but it was only when she fell pregnant with her first child that she learned she had a rare lung disease.

Melainie is currently being cared for by the TPCH Transplant team as she waits for a lung transplant whilst also balancing raising her eight-month-old baby, Fletcher.

"Last year, I started struggling to breathe and after invasive investigations was diagnosed with pleuroparenchymal fibroelastosis, a very rare and progressive type of interstitial lung disease," she said.

"If that wasn’t enough of a shock, two days after receiving my diagnosis we found out I was eight weeks pregnant!

"Unfortunately, my lung function has continued to deteriorate, and I`m currently being worked up for a double lung transplant. As you can imagine, it’s a very surreal feeling when I have professionally cared for those in the Intensive Care Unit as they donated their organs."

While Melainie hasn`t been listed for a lung transplant yet, she knows it’s just around the corner and understands the importance of raising awareness around registering and talking to your loved ones about organ and tissue donation.

It only takes one minute to register as an organ and tissue donor at donatelife.gov.au or through Medicare. Be the reason that someone like Melainie can get a second chance at life. 🩷 ...

Over the last two decades, the Queensland Centre for Gynaecological Cancer (QCGC) based at the RBWH has helped thousands of women, ranking in the top 10 worldwide for gynaecological research centres.

Director of Research at QCGC Dr Andreas was recently appointed as President Elect for the International Gynaecologic Cancer Society 2028-2030 term and says that the affiliation with a global organisation will only strengthen the opportunities for research and collaboration at RBWH.

"We [QCGC] have contributed to very significant findings that led to significantly improved patient outcomes," he said.

"Patients benefit from research in terms of quality of life, better survival rates, pregnancy rates and fertility rates but we are also saving Queensland Health and taxpayers money through improving efficiency of care."

Clinical Lead at QCGC Dr Andrea mirrored similar sentiments in terms of research at RBWH.

"I think research is firstly crucial to the ongoing service and secondly very beneficial to the patients - but it has also put us on the map worldwide because we have lots of output, we have a big centre and big services," she said.

👏 A big #ShoutoutSaturday to Dr Andreas on his new title and the Queensland Centre for Gynaecological Cancer team for their ongoing hard work to improve patient outcomes. ...