A brilliant PLACE TO HEAL

Education News | 30 Oct 2014

Named Taikurendi, meaning ‘together in partnership’ in the Kaurna language, the new office space is located in the Gilbert Building next to the Starlight Express Room and adjacent to the hospital’s Play Deck area. The new facilities provide a comfortable and child-friendly space, where families can meet with hospital staff and have access to health information specifically tailored to their needs.

Women’s and Children’s Health Network Aboriginal Liaison Unit Manager, Janice Braun said the new location provided a much brighter and more inviting space, and its close location to child-friendly facilities meant it met the needs of both parents and children. ‘Our new location is making it easier for Aboriginal families to find us. Patients and their families tell us how much they like the new space and how it lifts their spirits,’ Ms Braun said. She added that by having a prominently located and comfortable hub of their own, Aboriginal families feel valued and know that Aboriginal health and wellbeing is being taken seriously by our Health Network.

The new offices were developed thanks to the generous support of the Women’s and Children’s Hospital Foundation, which contributed $137,500 to the project. Women’s and Children’s Hospital Foundation CEO, Sam Tolley said that the project provided Aboriginal families with greatly improved access to the liaison service. A traditional Smoking Ceremony was conducted on 16 May by Kaurna Senior Custodian of Ceremony for the ‘Paitya Cultural Circle, Karl ‘Winda’ Telfer with next generation Fire Keeper Karno ‘Kuri’ Martin. The ceremony marked the important final stage of the new development, including an official Welcome to Country by Kaurna Elder Aunty Josie Agius and a cleansing of the space.

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