Established through a three-year pilot program funded by Country Hope, with financial support from the Rotary Club of Albury West and a philanthropic donation, the new role aims to significantly reduce trips to Melbourne, saving local families hundreds of dollars each trip, and reduce the emotional, financial and practical burden experienced whilst navigating complex medical journeys.
Until now, local children with complex medical conditions, including those requiring organ transplants or treatment for congenital heart conditions, have routinely travelled to The Royal Children's Hospital in Melbourne for blood tests, scans, procedures and ongoing monitoring, even when parts of their care could be coordinated or delivered locally with the right clinical oversight.
To bridge this gap, Ms Hanlon will coordinate care between local and metropolitan health services, facilitate telehealth appointments, arrange local diagnostic testing and treatment, connect families with allied health and other community services, and liaise with palliative care teams where required.
Country Hope Chief Executive Officer Jo Esler said the organisation, which supports children with cancer and other life-threatening illnesses, recognised the need for greater clinical coordination and advocacy after seeing the challenges families faced while accessing specialist paediatric care.
"Danielle's appointment is a game-changer for our non-cancer families," Mrs Esler said.
"Through our work, we've seen firsthand the enormous emotional, practical and financial impact that repeated travel to Melbourne has on families already facing the unimaginable. This role provides a dedicated clinical advocate who can help navigate complex healthcare journeys, while Country Hope continues to provide the wraparound emotional, practical and financial support families need throughout their child's treatment."
Albury Wodonga Health Director of Midwifery & Nursing, Women's & Children's Services Julie Wright welcomed Country Hope's investment and ongoing partnership.
"Having a dedicated Regional Paediatric Comprehensive Care Liaison Nurse within our team strengthens the expertise and advocacy we can offer local families and enhances the way we connect children and families with the right services, both here on the border and with our specialist colleagues in Melbourne," Mrs Wright said.
"Danielle's role will improve continuity of care and help ensure children can access more of their treatment closer to home, while remaining connected to their families, schools and local support networks wherever medically appropriate."
As the three-year pilot gets underway, the program will be closely monitored and evaluated to measure its impact on children, families, and the broader health system. The findings will help inform the future of the role and its potential to become a permanent part of paediatric care at Albury Wodonga Health. Embargoed: 10am Tuesday 15 September 2026
Case Study: Henry's Journey
Four-year-old Henry Norton, from Glenellen, was just seven months old when he was diagnosed with the extremely rare and life-threatening kidney condition Atypical Haemolytic Uraemic Syndrome (aHUS), as well as being born with a rare genetic condition resulting in profound deafness.
Due to the complexity of his condition, Henry has required ongoing specialist treatment at The Royal Children’s Hospital (RCH) in Melbourne. Until recently, this meant Henry and his mum, Melissa, travelling to Melbourne every month for his life-saving infusion.
Thanks to the Regional Paediatric Comprehensive Care Liaison Nurse, Henry can now receive this treatment much closer to home.
Working closely with Henry’s RCH specialist, Dr Tom Forbes, Albury Wodonga Health Medical Director Women’s & Children’s Division, Assoc. Professor Mark Norden, the pharmacy team and the paediatric ward, arrangements were made for Henry’s infusions to be provided locally.
His treatment has now moved to every two months and continues to be delivered by the local paediatric team. The difference for Henry and his family is significant. Instead of travelling to Melbourne, spending a full day waiting for treatment and often staying overnight at Ronald McDonald House, Henry now visits his local paediatric ward for around two hours. He can attend his early intervention program beforehand and they can both be home by the time dad Craig and brother Lachlan have finished work and pre-school.
Just as importantly, Henry is treated in a familiar environment by a team who know him and understand his needs. An in-person Auslan interpreter has also been arranged for his appointments, ensuring Henry can be fully included in his care. For the Norton family, this means less travel, less disruption, and less pressure on family life.
Most importantly, Henry can receive his life-saving treatment while staying connected to his home, his early intervention program, his family, and his community.
Henry’s story demonstrates the real difference that collaboration between specialist and local healthcare teams can make, bringing complex care closer to country families and allowing children like Henry to receive the treatment they need without having to travel so far from home.