News

For families across our region, the Good Friday Appeal is more than a tradition – it’s a lifeline.

This year that impact is being felt close to home through the story of 15 month old Ryeon Paubaiah ‘Aiah’ Isogon, who was born in Wodonga on 3 December 2024.

At just over a year old, Aiah has already faced more than most. Living with a complex liver condition, biliary atresia, she has spent much of her early life between hospital and home, supported by a network of care stretching from Albury Wodonga to Melbourne.

Closer to home, Aiah and her family were supported through Albury Wodonga Health’s PATCH (Paediatrics at the Child’s Home) program, which brings hospital-level care into the home.

Through PATCH, Aiah received regular monitoring, specialised care, and support for her feeding and overall wellbeing. It meant fewer hospital stays and more precious time at home with her family. And her mum and dad could continue working and studying in Albury to support their family.

Much of PATCH’s success was made possible through funding from the Royal Children’s Hospital’s Good Friday Appeal.

“For families facing some of the most challenging moments of their lives, being able to receive care at home can make all the difference,” said Julie Wright, Director of Midwifery & Nursing, Women’s & Children’s Services at AWH. 

“Thanks to the generosity of our community through the Good Friday Appeal funds AWH receive, we’re able to support programs like PATCH with the training, equipment and resources needed to care for children closer to home.”

“Seeing the impact this has for families like Aiah’s is a powerful reminder of what community support can achieve.”

The call they’d been waiting for

Earlier this month, Aiah’s journey took a hopeful turn.

Just hours after being discharged home from PATCH care, her family received the call they had been waiting for – a potential donor liver was available.

They quickly made their way to Melbourne, where Aiah underwent a life-saving transplant at the Royal Children’s Hospital.

While her journey is not over, it marks a powerful moment of hope for her family, and a reminder of what community support can make possible.

Care that comes home

Established in November 2024, Albury Wodonga Health’s PATCH (Paediatrics at the Child’s Home) program brings hospital-level care to children in the comfort of their own homes.

PATCH was born from a simple but powerful idea: bringing the hospital to the child, instead of bringing the child to hospital.

It’s the first paediatric model of its kind at AWH, created from the ground up to deliver at home family-centred, hospital-level care in a regional, cross-border setting.

In its first year, PATCH has supported hundreds of children across Albury-Wodonga and surrounding areas, completing more than 600 home visits and transforming how families experience care.

Read more about PATCH

Support the Good Friday Appeal

This Good Friday, you can help make stories like Aiah’s possible.

By supporting the Good Friday Appeal, you’re helping fund the equipment, training and programs that bring care closer to home for children and families across our region.

Donate today