Illanit Gros is one of the 100 artists chosen to create a UooUoo sculpture for Me and UooUoo: The RCH150 Anniversary Art Trail. The unique public art trail will be taking over the streets of Melbourne and Geelong in January 2021 to raise funds for The Royal Children’s Hospital!

In 2013 our three year old daughter, Annabell, was hospitalised in the RCH Intensive Care Unit (ICU) with a rare complication of tonsillitis.

Annabell came to the emergency room in a critical condition running a high temperature and in a non-responsive state. We were seen very quickly, and the ICU team were alerted.The ICU team were incredible from diagnosis, which was the hard part, all the way to recovery. Annabell’s life was hanging by a thread for the first 24 hours and her father and I were praying at her bedside for her recovery. The amazing team of doctors and nurses did not leave our side until morning. After 24 hours Annabell started to show signs of improvement and we knew she was going to make it. She found her super strengths that night fighting for her life and kept on fighting until her full recovery.

All children in a hospital environment are superheroes to me. They show incredible strength and resilience while undergoing some challenging experiences. The ICU team saved our daughter’s life that night and we will be forever grateful for that. We will always have a warm corner in our heart for the RCH. Loola is our daughter’s nickname and ‘UooLoola’ is a symbol for strength resilience and hope.