Article from 2022/2023 Impact of Giving Annual Report

When Ash Falla’s eight year old daughter passed away in 2007, he faced every parent’s worst nightmare. Despite this, Ash turned his grief into giving, donating regularly to the RCH Foundation.

“Millie was born with major health issues yet despite that, she was a lovely, gentle and generous child. She loved school, she was incredibly social, and academically she was progressing very well. With her own physical limitations, Millie became a quiet observer and gained enormous satisfaction from seeing the achievements and progress of her fellow students,” he added. “She was determined to be involved in life as much as possible. Being supported and guided by loving family and friends enabled her to achieve way beyond expectations,” said Ash.

One of Ash’s most cherished memories of Millie is connected to her favourite colour – pink. “The day of Millie’s last birthday celebration there was a bright pink car right out the front of the party venue. She asked to get a photo with it and I said, ‘When you are 18, I’ll buy you a pink car.’ She was so happy, her smile said it all.”

After Millie died, Ash was so appreciative of the care she received that he wanted to give back to the RCH. While he had donated to the Good Friday Appeal over the years, it was in 2019 that he decided to join the RCH Foundation’s regular giving program, The Children’s Tree, as a way of saying
thank you.

“Millie’s condition was complex, and all the clinical teams that were involved in her care supported Millie to be able to live her best life. This is my way of saying thank you. It’s not a lot of money, but if there is any way that I can support kids like Millie, that’s my incentive,” Ash explained.

As well as giving through The Children’s Tree, Ash has recently committed to leaving a Gift in his Will to the RCH Foundation, something he says was a “no brainer” for him. “I think if your kids are born healthy, you are very lucky. But on the off chance you are required to go to the RCH, you’ve got a place that will look after your child extremely well. And we need to continue that for future generations.

“My hope is that my funds will help children get the care they need. If they can get access to the best technology, the best clinicians, the best equipment that can make their life as good as it can be for as long as they are here, that’s enough for me,” he said.