The Cause 

The Gold Coast Hospital Foundation seeks to provide financial support and medical equipment for those within the Gold Coast community affected by illness and disease. The Foundation's priority programs are those that help relieve poverty and distress of people in Queensland that is caused by illness or disease. We currently have a number of patient support services running and aim to grow this area of our work over the coming year/s."

Who They Help

Children like Thomas Wiltshire. Thomas was born 3 months early and spent his first months in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at Gold Coast University Hospital. At 5 months Thomas was diagnosed with cerebral palsy. Thomas's family didn't know whether he would ever be able to walk or stand by himself, however The Foundation was able to provide a critical piece of physiotherapy equipment which has made a huge difference to Thomas's life.

The Event

The Hospital Heroes Ball on October 14 2017 at the Gold Coast Convention & Exhibition Centre. In addition to fine dining and plenty of wine, guests enjoyed one of the best entertainment line-ups we've seen. Starting with a fabulous (and very cute) group of dancing super heroes, the evening proceeded with a variety of bands that got the dance floor revved-up until late into the night.

The Fundraiser

A live and silent auction that included a donation option to raise money for vital Kanmed Baby Beds. The Kanmed bed is a specialised piece of equipment that offers critical care to babies in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. The bed was used to help treat Thomas Wiltshire after he suffered a bilateral brain bleed. The Live auction featured a behind the scenes look at the emergency response team in action at the Gold Coast University Hospital.

Auction Logistics

The Foundation opted to have our GalaBid tech expert (Ed Diserens) onsite. Ed helped manage the digital auction platform, ensured the bidding went smoothly and even found some time to pull some moves on the dance floor!

Things We Loved

1. It was a delight to see Thomas Wiltshire at the Ball looking very dapper in a tux!
2. The event was extremely well organised and everyone knew where they needed to be. It created a relaxed atmosphere and really added to the event's sense of fun.
3. Event programs contained easy to follow instructions regarding the auction and how to download the mobile platform.
4. A smooth and quick check-out meant prizes were collected without fuss.

Takeaways

1. Donation only options that connect to much needed equipment shows donors exactly what their money will be used for.
2. Good planning and organisation means less stress on the night and makes the event fun and enjoyable for guests, volunteers and staff.

What They Said

What an awesome night, thanks so much for your help and for providing an awesome team member for our event. It went off without a hitch! Joe Hanon, Gold Coast Hospital Foundation