Our Stomal Therapy Nurse, Hillary recently represented The Bays at the 44th National Stomal Therapy Conference in Melbourne — an opportunity made possible by the Nursing and Midwifery Education Fund, and founding partner Mornington Rotary.
Held over 3 days, the conference brought together experts from across Australia and New Zealand to share advances in caring for people with complex wounds, stomas, and colorectal conditions.
“It was an incredible experience,” says Hillary. “The speakers were knowledgeable, passionate, and many shared deeply moving personal and professional stories.”
Highlights included:
- A touching presentation from two young women in their 20s, both affected by advanced bowel cancer, who used humour and friendship to navigate their journey — even launching a radio show and publishing a book.
- Insights into international care models, such as a US nurse managing stoma and wound care solo for a 700-bed hospital.
- Cutting-edge results from the Royal Children’s Hospital in paediatric transplant and urological surgery.
- A powerful address by Dr Bushra Othman, a Palestinian-Australian colorectal surgeon working in Gaza, whose frontline experiences left the room speechless — and standing in ovation.
Beyond the clinical learnings, Hillary was able to connect with other professionals, bring back new ideas to The Bays, and reaffirm the importance of community-supported professional development.
“I’m incredibly thankful to the Nursing and Midwifery Education Fund for this opportunity, and to our generous donors who made it possible for me to attend,” she said. “This experience will help us continue delivering the best care to our patients.”
Help support the next generation of nursing excellence. Your donation to the Nursing and Midwifery Education Fund helps nurses like Hillary grow, learn, and bring new knowledge back to our region.