General News
18 September, 2024
Shalhoub’s new exhibition opens
The latest exhibition from Judy and Jo Shalhoub – ‘Out There!’ - opened to a warm reception.
The latest exhibition from Judy and Jo Shalhoub – ‘Out There!’ - opened to a warm reception on Saturday, September 14 at the Cooee Heritage Centre.
The exhibition was held in part as a way to raise funds for the Royal Flying Doctor Service (RFDS) and Wings4Kidz.
Paintings by Judy and glasswork by Jo are on display, available for purchase; half of all the money raised through this exhibition will be split equally between the RFDS and Wings4Kidz.
“I have thought of doing [this exhibition] for the Flying Doctors because they stepped up for Gilgandra,” said Judy Shalhoub.
“They saved the Gilgandra Clinic, which was a huge help for [local doctors].
“Then I was told about Wings4Kidz, and what they do, I had to help them too.”
Representatives for the organisations were present at the opening.
Jenny Rodway, representative for the RFDS, spoke first.
“[The RFDS is] a not-for-profit organisation… we’ve been flying for 96 years now, initially set up as an emergency retrieval service,” she said.
“A big part of our work now is preventative help. Seventy-five per cent of our work is prevention and improving the health outcomes of regional and rural areas.
The RFDS fly doctors and dentists to rural areas without coverage to get people living rurally the treatment they need.
“We are very reliant on donations to operate. Federal funding covers our emergency operations, but there’s a gap of over 35 per cent that we rely on donations to cover.”
Brendan Crane, representative for Wings4Kidz, shared the motivation behind his charity work.
“What happens after the RFDS gets a family to a hospital, and the child needs constant care? That’s when we step in,” he said.
Wings4Kidz is a charity that provides a free regional flight service to aid families needing to travel long distances seeking specialized medical treatment for children.
The aim is to lessen the burden of constant travel on families and their children.
They are fully volunteer based and 100 per cent donor funded, according to Brendan.
“We never intended to be a charity,” said Brendan.
“We met a little girl going through cancer treatment with a thirteen hour train ride to the hospital, and we offered to fly her there.
“A few weeks later we were asked to help her friend the same way. Now we help over 70 families with children needing specialised care.
“Our work helps families stay together in tough times: up to 70 per cent of families sperate during chemotherapy just because the cost of the family being separated is so high.”
‘Out There!’ will be open to the public until Sunday, October 27 at the Cooee Heritage Centre.
