ARARAT - This year's Royal Children's Hospital Good Friday Appeal held particular significance for Ararat youngster Bailee Turner.
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The 10-year-old spent time in the hospital last year for treatment after contracting the viral infection Croup and so Bailee decided that this Good Friday he would join more than 50 other volunteers in the Ararat region to rattle the tins and collect donations.
Grandmother Dianne Castles said Bailee wanted to help in anyway he could and even saved up $40 of his own pocket money to give to the annual appeal.
Ms Castles said Bailee's illness was quite a traumatic experience, particularly for his parents Brooke and Lee, but the work done at the Royal Children's Hospital was first class.
"Bailee had a head cold last year but then woke up one morning with a croupy cough struggling to breathe, so was taken to the doctors," she said.
"That night he suddenly had another attack so was rushed to hospital. The medications they gave him were not working, so he was flown to the Royal Children's Hospital around midnight where he spent the night in Resus being monitored and on medication to try to open up his airway."
Ms Castles said her grandson had another breathing attack at about 2.30am that morning and his parents were told by doctors that it was very rare for a child his age (nine at the time) to have croup as bad as Bailee had.
After more monitoring Bailee was eventually moved to the Dolphin Ward of the RCH where he stayed for several days until he could return to Ararat.
Volunteers collected $32,144.70 across the Ararat region on Good Friday, contributing to the overall appeal total this year of $16,846,396.09, which was yet another record.