Bailey’s Day has proven to be a huge success, with over $340,000 for the Monash Medical Centre’s Children’s Cancer Centre and the Royal Children’s Hospital since it began three years ago.

The key to Bailey’s Day is that every dollar raised goes to a clearly defined goal – more doctors to support children with cancer. In 2004, when Bailey was being treated, Dr Martin Campbell, who is now helping Dr Peter Downie thanks to the funds raised by Bailey’s Day, noted that Dr Downie almost single-handedly looked after all the children being treated for cancer at the Children’s Cancer Centre at Monash Medical Centre, doing a magnificent job for his patients but struggling under the workload. What Bailey’s Day strives to provide is the funding for more doctors, more support and better chances for the sick children. Dr Steven Keogh was the first of these doctors, and he is now fully trained to support young cancer victims thanks to the funds raised by Bailey’s Day and its supporters. Today Dr Downie has the support of three other paediatric oncologists as well as a full time fellow, which enables more patients to be seen on every day of the working week. This support would not have been possible without the valuable funds raised by Bailey’s Day, which have contributed to the training, facilities and upkeep required by the three new doctors.

In 2007 the funds raised by Bailey’s day added two more doctors to the team at Monash; Dr Pratiti Bando and Dr Martin Campbell. Both of these doctors were lucky enough to have been touched by Bailey personally, and it is a testament to his charity that they are both now fully qualified.

One of the most recent Bailey’s Day-funded graduates is Dr Marty Campbell, who has been in paediatrics since 2001 and says he has always been interested in working with children because they make going to work so enjoyable.

Although their line of work can often be difficult and heartbreaking, these Bailey’s Day graduates have risen to the challenge and turned their experiences into their most valuable assets. Dr Martin Campbell says he believes compassion is just about the most important thing in his line of work and says there is nothing better than feeling you have made a real difference in the life of a sick child – a feeling he can get almost every day, thanks to the funds raised by contributors to Bailey’s Day.

“The funds from Bailey’s Day have transformed the Children’s Cancer Centre at MMC to a world class institution with amazing facilities for the children, families and medical staff,” says Dr Campbell. 

Over the last three years, Bailey’s Day has raised the funds to train three new doctors for the Children’s Cancer Centre at Monash and now, as we look towards another successful Bailey’s Day and the year beyond, we hope to raise the funds to train even more doctors in oncology, to offer more support to children with cancer.

TOP: Dr Martin Campbell and a patient.

LEFT: Dr Pratiti Bando and a patient.

ABOVE: Patrick Tessier (right) with Isaac Hawkins, 7, and Dr Steven Keogh at Monash