Children fighting cancer will continue to receive world-leading care at The Royal Children’s Hospital (RCH), thanks to generous support and a renewed commitment from My Room Children’s Cancer Charity.
My Room today announced a significant funding commitment of almost $2.5 million over three years to support vital roles within the RCH’s Children’s Cancer Centre (CCC), including positions in the CARES (4 Kids): Cancer Allied Health Resources, Education and Supportive Care Program.
Founded in 1993 by the Marcocci, McGrath and Rathbone families, My Room has grown to become one of the RCH’s most significant and longstanding supporters of paediatric cancer care. This extraordinary, renewed funding will support a Social Worker role within the CCC and several essential positions within the CARES (4 Kids) program, including an Allied Health Assistant (Social Work), Comfort First Clinician, Mental Health Clinician, two Neuropsychologists, and a Survivorship Nurse Consultant. These roles are critical in ensuring children and families receive comprehensive, multidisciplinary care throughout their cancer journey.
My Room CEO, Margaret Zita OAM, said the charity was proud to continue its decades- long commitment to supporting children and families bravely fighting childhood cancer.
“At My Room, our mission has always been to stand with children and families facing cancer and to ensure they have the care and support they need at every step. These roles are essential to the wellbeing of patients and their families, and we are proud to continue funding positions that make such a meaningful difference during the most challenging moments of their lives. We value our long-standing relationship with the RCH and the RCH Foundation, and we remain committed to working together to improve outcomes for children with cancer – today, tomorrow, and into the future.”
Ryan Brown, Chief Executive Officer of the RCH Foundation, welcomed My Room’s continued support and underscored the RCH Foundation’s steadfast commitment to funding the hospital’s highest-priority needs on behalf of its generous donors.
“We are deeply appreciative of My Room’s ongoing commitment to paediatric cancer care at the RCH. Their generosity directly strengthens the teams and services that children battling cancer, and their families rely on at the most critical moments. The RCH Foundation is unwavering in our commitment to honour donor intent and fund the hospital’s greatest needs, and we are energised to work alongside partners like My Room who share our drive to deliver the best possible outcomes for every child.”
The RCH’s Children’s Cancer Centre is internationally recognised as a leader in the treatment and research of childhood cancer. Each year, the Centre treats around 300 newly diagnosed patients under the age of 18, in addition to providing long-term follow-up care. It remains the sole provider of complex paediatric cancer care and stem cell transplantation in Victoria. The CARES (4 Kids) program sits within the centre and provides holistic, wrap-around supportive care for children and young people undergoing treatment.
This renewed funding of these seven critical roles will enhance the delivery of comprehensive, multidisciplinary care, supporting quality of life, treatment experience, and long-term survivorship outcomes. Importantly, it provides continuity and certainty for families relying on these specialised services over the next three years.
Chief Executive Officer of the RCH, Dr Peter Steer, acknowledged the renewed partnership as a meaningful step forward towards the hospital’s vision of a world where all kids thrive.
“We are grateful to My Room for their renewed commitment to supporting paediatric cancer care at the RCH. This partnership reflects a shared determination to ensure children and young people receive the very best care, no matter how complex their needs are. We also welcome the strengthened collaboration between My Room, the RCH Foundation, and the hospital, which enables us to collectively focus our efforts where they will have the greatest impact. By working together, we can continue to deliver world-leading care for the children and families we serve.”
This extraordinary commitment from My Room, supported through close collaboration with the RCH Foundation and the RCH, will ensure that children receiving cancer treatment continue to benefit from world-class, comprehensive care. Together, we remain dedicated to improving outcomes and providing hope for every child and family facing cancer.