The Night Geelong Showed What Is Possible
By Zoe Waters, Executive Director, Barwon Health Foundation
On Friday night, I had one of those moments that will stay with me forever.
As I stood in a room of over 1000 people at Nyaal Banyul Geelong Convention and Event Centre, I looked across a sea of people and couldn't help but think, this is Geelong at its very best.
The Barwon Health Foundation Gala Ball was the first event ever held in this extraordinary new venue, it was a great honour, but it was never about being first. It was about bringing our community together to officially launch the Barwon Women's and Children's Appeal and to celebrate what can be achieved when people unite behind a shared vision.
On behalf of our Board, our Appeal Committee and the Foundation team, we proudly announced the largest fundraising appeal in the Foundation's 24-year history - a $12 million Appeal that will build on the significant investment made by the Victorian Government to help create a legacy that enables Barwon Health to deliver the best outcomes for women, children and families across the region for decades to come.
While Friday evening was the public launch, the Appeal itself has been quietly building for months. Since February, we have been working together behind the scenes, having conversations, building relationships and inviting people to be part of something much bigger than a fundraising campaign.
By the end of the evening, our community had committed an extraordinary $X million of our $12,000,000 goal.
Of course, the fundraising total is something we are incredibly proud of, but for me, it wasn't the number that made the night so special.
It was what the number represented.
It represented hundreds of people choosing to invest in the future of our region, the confidence in Barwon Health clinicians who care for our loved ones and a shared commitment to ensuring families should not have to travel far from home to receive world-class care.
Throughout the evening, we celebrated some remarkable acts of generosity.
The Anthony Costa Foundation announced a transformational $3 million gift to establish the first Hybrid Operating Theatre in Barwon Health's history. The Cotton On Foundation reaffirmed its commitment to local families with a $1.75 million investment in services for children and babies. The Percy Baxter Charitable Trust committed $1.5 million to establish the Baxter Maternity Unit, ensuring a name that has welcomed generations of Geelong babies continues to be part of our healthcare story. The Gwyneth Raymond Trust contributed $1 million towards the Child and Adolescent Clinics.
These are extraordinary gifts, and each will have a lasting impact on healthcare in our region.
Every campaign starts somewhere. Before the Appeal gained momentum, Keith and Heather Fagg led the way. Their Leadership Circle gift was the first major commitment, encouraging others to step forward, including Barry and Jan Fagg with their own generous commitment, continuing a family legacy of supporting better healthcare. The Fagg family’s leadership has never been just about giving, it has been about inspiring others to join them.
This was seen on the night when Bendigo Bank and the Community Banks pledged $200,000, a generous show of support and community. Across the room were people united by a shared belief: that great healthcare should never be taken for granted and that our community deserves access to the best facilities and technology. That is what made the evening so significant.
The Gala Ball is just the beginning. The Victorian Government has invested more than $500 million to deliver the Barwon Women’s and Children’s, representing the largest health infrastructure investment ever made in Geelong. Expected to be completed in 2029, this major expansion of Barwon Health’s University Hospital Geelong precinct has been designed to meet the needs of a rapidly growing community.
This incredible fundraising achievement will complement this major infrastructure project, providing the opportunity to make an impact through investment in named spaces or advanced specialised medical equipment to complement equipment already funded by Government. Every contribution, large or small, will enhance the care experience for local families.
Friday night reminded me that Geelong has always been a community that steps forward when it matters most. We saw that spirit again, and while there is still much work ahead, I have never been more confident that together we can achieve something truly extraordinary.
Our goal now is to complete the $12 million Barwon Women's and Children's Appeal by the end of June 2027, and we invite every person, every family and every business across our region to join us. Whether it's through a major gift, becoming a member of the Circle of Care, supporting one of our community fundraising events or donating, every contribution will help advance healthcare provided by Barwon Health to local women, babies and children.
Years from now, the legacy of this Appeal won’t be the dollars raised, but the lives touched, the families supported, and the generations who benefit because our community chose to believe in its future.
