Recently Mater welcomed Ms Julia Wu, Director of the Gold Coast Tzu Chi Foundation, Ms Joanna Wang and other key members of the Tzu Chi community for a celebratory vegetarian lunch at Aubigny Place.
Mater is also delighted to take this opportunity to formally acknowledge Tzu Chi’s continuous philanthropic support and its latest pledge to raise $31,000 toward the purchase of a PANDA Neonatal Resuscitation Cot for Mater Townsville.
Sister Angela Mary, Dr Luke Jardine and Andrew Thomas, Executive Director Mater Foundation were among those to host Mater’s valued guests for a celebratory vegetarian lunch.
“The cherished relationship between Mater and Tzu Chi spans over 30 years and two generations,” Andrew Thomas said.
“We remain very grateful for the philanthropic support from Julia, Joanna and the Tzu Chi community… and also, on a lighter note, for the delicious and freshly prepared vegetarian lunches they’ve been providing for Mater staff since COVID to promote vegetarianism.
“This has inspired many of to embrace eating more vegetarian food and we’re delighted today to be able to return the favour and welcome Tzu Chi as our guests.”
The “Panda Warmer ResusView” is a machine that will support Mater Townsville’s caesarean birth services.
Ten per cent of newborns require resuscitation and about 35 in every 1,000 babies have breathing problems after a caesarean birth. The need for neonatal resuscitation at birth cannot always be anticipated or predicted. At every birth, suitable equipment and staff must be available and prepared to resuscitate the newborn infant.
This $31,000 pledge is the latest generous contribution made to Mater by members of Tzu Chi.
Both Julia and Joanna, in addition to many Tzu Chi members, are also generous donors of “Catherine’s House” – responding to an immediate, unmet need to support women, and their partners and children, who experience perinatal mental health issues before and after their baby is born.
Mater has benefited from long-term philanthropic support from the Taiwanese community, a special relationship initiated by Julia and Sister Angela Mary in 1990.
Tzu Chi is an international disaster relief organisation, founded in 1966 in Taiwan. The Foundation's work includes medical aid, disaster relief, and environmental work. It is operated by a worldwide network of employees and volunteers of 10 million members in 47 countries.
