Royal Hospital for Women Foundation

Royal Hospital for Women Foundation The Royal Hospital for Women Foundation is the registered charity for the Royal Hospital for Women.

05/08/2026

This Sunday, our incredible Royal Runners will be taking on the City2Surf to help support the exceptional care of women and babies at The Royal. 💜

One of those runners is Freya.

At 37 weeks pregnant, Freya was diagnosed with triple negative breast cancer. Within just 24 hours, she had seen a breast surgeon and the Maternal Fetal Medicine team. Four days later, she gave birth. Within weeks, she had met her breast care nurse and oncologist and begun cancer treatment.

Throughout it all, her care was seamlessly coordinated by an extraordinary multidisciplinary team at The Royal.

"Not only did I have access to a surgeon, oncologist, physio, psychiatrist, psychologist and endocrinologist, but they all spoke to one another. I never had to tell my story over and over again, and my care was incredibly well managed."

Today, Freya has the all clear and is the proud mum of two healthy, thriving boys. Now, she's giving back by fundraising for the Royal Breast Fund, helping ensure more women receive the same compassionate, coordinated care when they need it most.

As City2Surf approaches this Sunday, we're cheering on Freya and all of our Royal Runners as they lace up in support of women, babies and families.

If you're able, please consider supporting Freya as she aims to reach her $5000 fundraising goal. Every donation, big or small, will help ensure women facing breast cancer receive exceptional care when they need it most.

💜 Donate via the link: https://city2surf26.grassrootz.com/the-royal-hospital-for-women-foundation/freya-s-fundraising

For Abby, breastfeeding her first daughter, Rain, was one of the hardest parts of becoming a mother.After an emergency c...
04/08/2026

For Abby, breastfeeding her first daughter, Rain, was one of the hardest parts of becoming a mother.

After an emergency caesarean birth, she missed those first precious hours of skin-to-skin. Despite attending breastfeeding classes during pregnancy and doing everything she could to establish feeding, she experienced cracked, bleeding ni***es, overwhelming pain, and eventually had to stop breastfeeding after just a few weeks.

"I thought I was failing my daughter because I couldn't breastfeed."

When Abby became pregnant with her second daughter, Harlow, she carried that experience with her. Together with The Royal's lactation team, she developed a personalised breastfeeding plan before birth, giving her confidence, practical strategies and reassurance that, whatever happened, her worth as a mother wasn't defined by how she fed her baby.

This time, with support from lactation consultants Katy and Sarah, early feeding assistance after birth, and ongoing encouragement, Abby's breastfeeding journey was different. There were still challenges, but after months of persistence, everything clicked.

Today, 14 months later, Harlow is still breastfeeding.

"It's the most rewarding, redemptive and beautiful thing I've ever done."

As we celebrate World Breastfeeding Week, we're sharing Abby's story to remind every family that every feeding journey is unique. Whether you breastfeed for days, months or years, exclusively pump, combination feed or use formula, your journey matters.

Thank you to The Royal's dedicated lactation consultants, Katy, Sarah and the entire team for walking alongside families with expert care, compassion and encouragement every step of the way. At The Royal Hospital for Women Foundation, we're proud to share stories like Abby's and celebrate the incredible people who make journeys like hers possible.

Happy World Breastfeeding Week 💜


South Eastern Sydney Local Health District

Today marks the first day of World Breastfeeding Week - a time to celebrate, protect and support breastfeeding, and to r...
01/08/2026

Today marks the first day of World Breastfeeding Week - a time to celebrate, protect and support breastfeeding, and to recognise the incredible people who help make every breastfeeding journey possible.

For families with a baby in NICU, breastfeeding can look very different. It may begin with expressing milk, learning new feeding techniques, celebrating tiny milestones, and finding confidence one day at a time.

The Royal's NICU lactation consultants walk alongside mothers and families through every step of that journey, providing expert guidance, compassionate care and encouragement. Beyond their clinical expertise, they have created a warm and welcoming environment where families feel supported during one of the most challenging times of their lives.

"Every day, I see how important breast milk and breastfeeding are for premature and unwell babies. At the same time, I understand how stressful it can be for mothers as they work to establish and maintain their milk supply while learning to breastfeed their vulnerable babies." – Eszter Jozsa, NICU Lactation Consultant

The NICU also has its own dedicated breastfeeding room, thoughtfully created by the lactation team with sensory lighting, soothing white noise, essential oils and words of encouragement to provide mothers with a calm, comforting space while expressing milk for their babies.

To Eszter, Mary, Deb, Kobie, Natalie and all of the IBCLCs across The Royal - thank you for the extraordinary care, kindness and dedication you show every day.

Happy World Breastfeeding Week. 💜

30/07/2026

Did you know around 70–80% of women will develop uterine fibroids by the age of 50?

Despite being incredibly common, fibroids are often misunderstood. While many women never experience symptoms, for others they can have a significant impact on their health, fertility and quality of life.

For Fibroid Awareness Month, Dr Akshara Shyamsunder, Gynaecologist and Laparoscopic Surgeon at The Royal Hospital for Women, answers some of the most common questions about uterine fibroids, including what they are, how common they are, and the symptoms to look out for.

Through the generosity of our community, The Royal Hospital for Women Foundation helps fund the research, innovation and equipment that support exceptional care for women, for generations to come. 💜

New hope for women with recurrent ovarian cancer. 💜Groundbreaking international research led by Professor Michael Friedl...
29/07/2026

New hope for women with recurrent ovarian cancer. 💜

Groundbreaking international research led by Professor Michael Friedlander and Associate Professor Yeh Chen Lee at The Royal Hospital for Women has provided encouraging new insights for women living with recurrent ovarian cancer.

Published in JAMA Oncology, the international study found that women who remained cancer-free for at least five years while receiving PARP inhibitor therapy had an excellent long-term outlook.

For a small group of “exceptional responders”, the findings suggest that ongoing treatment may not always be necessary, helping to guide future treatment decisions and offering new hope to women around the world.

Earlier this year, we shared the inspiring story of ovarian cancer survivor Kristin Young, one of Professor Friedlander’s exceptional responders. Her journey is a powerful reminder of why research matters — and the hope it can bring to women and families facing ovarian cancer.

Congratulations to Professor Michael Friedlander, Associate Professor Yeh Chen Lee, Dr Lucy Haggstrom and the international research team on this significant achievement.

Read more via the SESLHD website:
https://www.seslhd.health.nsw.gov.au/news/study-provides-new-hope-for-patients-recurrent-ovarian-cancer

Watch Kristin Young’s story on our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BrYbe3jCy-o&t=30s 💜

South Eastern Sydney Local Health District

Thank you so much to Aaron and Emma for raising an incredible $12,552 in honour of their baby girl, Maddie. 💜For Maddie’...
27/07/2026

Thank you so much to Aaron and Emma for raising an incredible $12,552 in honour of their baby girl, Maddie. 💜

For Maddie’s first birthday, Aaron and Emma set themselves a goal of raising $5,000. Through social media, a Bunnings BBQ at Kirrawee, Return and Earn and other community activations, they more than doubled their goal, made incredible connections along the way, and are now inspired to continue giving annually to research at The Royal.

All funds raised will go towards the Madison Capaldi Research Fund (MCRF), supporting research into Necrotising Enterocolitis (NEC), the devastating condition that sadly took Maddie’s life at just six days old.

Aaron and Emma, our heartfelt thanks to you both for your incredible efforts and for turning Maddie’s first birthday into an opportunity to help fund vital NEC research and potentially save the lives of other babies and families.

We are so grateful for your ongoing commitment to honouring Maddie’s memory and supporting NEC research, and look forward to continuing this journey with you in the years to come. 💜

Madison Capaldi Research Fund

We love seeing our NICU graduates come back to visit us 💜 Baby Sammy was born at just 23 weeks + 6 days and spent 145 ...
24/07/2026

We love seeing our NICU graduates come back to visit us 💜

Baby Sammy was born at just 23 weeks + 6 days and spent 145 days in the NICU before finally going home with his family.

For months, his parents, Bishara and Danielle, made the one-hour journey each way from Campbelltown to be by their son’s side... every single day.

After multiple surgeries, countless transfusions and an incredibly challenging journey, Sammy is now home and growing stronger. 💜

In the meantime, Bishara is gearing up for the City2Surf as a Royal Runner, which is two weeks away.

So far, Bishara has raised an incredible $2,257 🎉 every step is for Sammy and the team who helped keep him here.

We are so happy to see you back at The Royal, Sammy. What a fighter you are.

If you’d like to support Bishara’s City2Surf fundraiser, you can donate here: https://city2surf26.grassrootz.com/the-royal-hospital-for-women-foundation/baby-sammy-tautaiolefue

🎉 Celebrating 77 years young, more than 40 years of midwifery, and still going strong! Michele celebrated her 77th birth...
22/07/2026

🎉 Celebrating 77 years young, more than 40 years of midwifery, and still going strong!

Michele celebrated her 77th birthday this week and continues to work full-time as a midwife in the Postnatal department at The Royal. 💜

Originally from South Africa, Michele moved to Australia 27 years ago - bringing with her a wealth of experience and a lifelong passion for caring for mothers and babies.

“What I love about midwifery? Brand new babies are just so, so very special.”

After caring for countless mothers and babies over four decades, Michele says what keeps bringing her back is helping new parents find their confidence.

“I just love teaching new parents how to be amazing mums and dads, and caring for this newborn that they’re so frightened of.”

At the Royal Hospital for Women Foundation, we absolutely love celebrating the incredible people who make The Royal so special. 💜

Happy birthday, Michele. You are truly an inspiration! ✨

South Eastern Sydney Local Health District

Because of the generosity of our donors and supporters, we're able to support more than just equipment and research. We'...
15/07/2026

Because of the generosity of our donors and supporters, we're able to support more than just equipment and research. We're also helping fund education that strengthens the care provided to women, babies and families. 💜

Recently, The Royal Hospital for Women Foundation was proud to support the new expanded IMPROVE (IMproving Perinatal Mortality Review & Outcomes Via Education) workshop at UNSW Sydney, bringing together clinicians from The Royal Hospital for Women and Royal Prince Alfred Hospital. The expanded IMPROVE workshop officially launches August 7th at the Waves of Change conference.

This hands-on workshop equips maternity and newborn healthcare professionals, including obstetricians, midwives, pathologists and social workers, with the knowledge and skills to provide compassionate, evidence-based care for families experiencing pregnancy and baby loss.

A special thank you to for providing the delicious afternoon tea and helping make the day such a success.

Thank you to our incredible community of donors and supporters. Your generosity helped make this workshop possible, enabling healthcare professionals to continue learning, collaborating and delivering the very best care when families need it most.

Together, we're advancing women's and newborn healthcare, today and for generations to come. 💜

A heartfelt thank you to Common Wood for choosing The Royal Hospital for Women Foundation as one of three charities to ...
14/07/2026

A heartfelt thank you to Common Wood for choosing The Royal Hospital for Women Foundation as one of three charities to support through their community fundraiser.

For Pete and the team at Common Wood Co, supporting The Royal’s Newborn Intensive Care Unit (NICU) is especially meaningful after seeing loved ones receive care from the incredible NICU team.

“We chose the NICU at The Royal as we have had some loved ones have little ones spend some time there. The support shown by the staff there is second to none." - Pete, Common Wood Co

You can support Common Wood Co’s fundraiser and go in the draw to win over $9,000 in prizes!

Tickets are just $10
Raffle closes Sunday 26th July

Here is the link to buy raffle tickets: https://www.commonwoodco.com/product-page/charity-raffle-ticket

Thank you, Common Wood Co, for helping strengthen our community and making a difference for women, babies and families at The Royal. We’re so grateful for your support 💜

Address

Level One, Royal Hospital For Women (Locked Bag 2000)
Randwick, NSW
2031

Telephone

02 9382 6720

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Royal Hospital for Women Foundation posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Shortcuts

Share

Category