Innovation was front and centre at this year’s Prince of Wales Hospital Foundation (POWHF) Annual Grant Celebrations, held at Coogee Surf Life Saving Club. It was an inspiring evening dedicated to supporting the outstanding ideas and initiatives of our hospital staff, champions of better care that transforms lives.
Every year, POWHF opens its Annual Grant round to staff-led projects across four key categories: research, innovation, education and wellbeing. The grants are designed to empower clinicians, researchers and health professionals to turn bold ideas into real-world solutions – through pioneering clinical studies, new patient care models and innovation that improves outcomes for patients and hospital teams.
A Record-Breaking Year
In 2025, we received a record-breaking 146 applications, reflecting the growing ambition and dedication of our hospital community. From early-career researchers to multidisciplinary clinical teams, the calibre and diversity of proposals submitted was exceptional.
Thanks to the generosity of our donors and supporters, we awarded 56 grants to support the most promising projects – each selected for its potential to transform care at Prince of Wales Hospital and beyond.
Celebrating the Brightest Ideas in Health
To celebrate the awarding of this year’s grants, we gathered staff, past and present grant winners and supporters of the Foundation for an evening of connection, storytelling and shared purpose.
Guests were welcomed with opening remarks from Chairman Bill Petch and CEO Holly Zamboni, who both spoke about the vital role philanthropy plays in driving innovation across the hospital.
“We continue to work towards our mission to fund the work of the staff at Prince of Wales Hospital to drive innovation and disrupt healthcare—to improve patient experience and to enable meaningful reform that makes the system more equitable and efficient,” said Bill.
Holly added: “Patients who have had life-changing care, and our entire supporter community, are at the heart of our ability to continue funding innovation and change. Every dollar donated is a vote of confidence in the staff and future of Prince of Wales Hospital.”
One of the highlights of the evening was hearing directly from previous grant recipients, who presented the findings and impact of their projects and shared how the Foundation’s support has made a difference to their work.
Among the presentations:
PRINTcision Medicine – This cutting-edge research aims to create in vitro models using 3D-printed vascular structures, allowing researchers to better understand endothelial cell function in patients undergoing haemodialysis. This innovative model could pave the way for more targeted therapies and personalised treatment strategies for kidney disease.
AMFIBIO Study – Standing for Analogue Mean Systemic Filling Pressure, Fluid Balance in General Intensive Care Unit and Associated Outcomes, this study is investigating a critical yet underexplored aspect of intensive care. By measuring and establishing normal ranges of analogue mean systemic filling pressure (Pmsa) in ICU patients, the team hopes to improve fluid management and patient recovery outcomes in critical care settings.
Looking Ahead
The evening was not just a celebration but a powerful reminder of what’s possible when clinical curiosity meets community generosity. Each funded project represents a step forward in our shared mission: to deliver world-class care, informed by evidence and driven by innovation.
We extend our heartfelt congratulations to all 2025 grant recipients and applicants. Your ideas, leadership and commitment to better health outcomes inspires us all.
Together, we’re raising care, to raise health and transforming lives. One brilliant idea at a time.
Our 2025 Grant Round Recipients
Research
Supporting researchers within their field:
AKSHAT SAXENA, Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery – Facilitating timely cardiac surgery for patients on pre-operative platelet inhibitors
BON SAN BONNE LEE, Spinal Medicine Department – Metagenomic survey of the urine microbiome, antimicrobial resistance, and pathogen associated antigens to determine the feasibility of UTI predictive algorithms in SCI patients who intermittently self catheterise (ISC).
DANIEL CHIENG, Pharmacy – Pharmacist-led Review of Penicillin Allergy Cases as a Targeted Inpatient Intervention.
ANGELA CHIEW, Emergency Department – SMART-Doc Trial of Artificial Intelligence Smart-Documentation in the Emergency Department.
LAURA RICHMOND, Executive Unit – The evaluation of Automated Dispensing Cabinets (ADCs) throughout inpatient areas in a Metropolitan Hosptial.
LEWIS RAYMOND, Adult ICU – The SIMDEX Study: Safety and feasibility of IntraMuscular DEXmedetomidine in Intensive Care Unit patients at risk of delirium: a pilot randomized trial.
PETER BESHARA, Physiotherapy – Incorporating Technology in Functional Monitoring.
ROXANNE FIELDING, Epilepsy Service – Epilepsy and Driving.
Innovation
Supporting developments, simple or complex, that lead to improvements in health outcomes and patient experience:
ANA LIZA SANTIAGO, POWH Diabetes Centre – Enhancing Diabetes Management for Aboriginal Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Through Continuous Glucose Monitoring Technology.
ANITA NITCHINGHAM, Aged Care – The POWH Resilience and Recovery in Delirium Dual Pathway (POWH R2D2 Pathway).
CARLY COPOLOV, Diversity Health –TCC-HF: From Translation to Transformation: Innovative Communication for Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Patients.
CLARE GRIFFIN, Occupational Therapy – Utilising the Neofect Smart Board to increase the dosage of upper arm rehabilitation in patients with dense upper limb paresis.
EMILY ROOLEHT, Youth Cancer Services, Prince of Wales Oncology-Co-Designing Distress Tolerance Support Aids for Adolescents and Young Adults with Cancer.
GRETEL HICKLING, Patient Safety Improvement Unit – Implementing Bedside Communication Boards at Prince of Wales Hospital.
KAREN TUQIRI, Nursing – iMPAKT – Nurses Using Digital Technology for Evaluation of Patient Care and Experience.
KARLEE MUELLER, NEWR- AI-Supported Interprofessional training for early delirium detection, prevention and management.
ROSS BlACK, Occupational Therapy – Enhancing Wheelchair Safety and Independence with Braze Mobility Sensor System.
Education
Supporting staff education initiatives and conferences:
ALISON GRUNDY, Spinal and rehabilitation wards – Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) training for Clinical psychologists to assist spinal patients to move past the trauma of injury.
ALYSSA CLARKE, Nursing Education, Research, and Workforce-Building a Dynamic Workforce through Enhancing Nursing Specialty Education.
AMELIA MCPHERSON, Occupational Therapy – Staff education initiative to further skills and provide professional development within Stroke UL retraining.
ANNA DEVAR, Neurosciences – The World Federation of Neuroscience Nurses Quadrennial Congress 2025.
BRADEN BAKER, Adult Intensive Care Unit- Comprehensive Simulation Instructor Training.
DANIEL CHIENG, Pharmacy – “Resist the Resistance” – Interactive Hospital-wide Engagement Campaign for World Antimicrobial Awareness Week 2025.
DANIELLE COLLINS, Occupational Therapy – Spinal Cord Injuries Unit – Patient Education Program – Phase 2.
ELIZABETH SCHLOSSBERGER, Nursing Education Workforce Research unit – 2026 Emerging Nursing Unit Manager (ENUM) Program.
EMINE TETIK, Surgery and Perioperative Medicine – Tabletop Exercises for Teaching Pressure Injury Prevention and Management.
EMMA BIRRELL, Intensive care – Education for the critical care leaders of tomorrow.
GILES BOLAND, Physiotherapy – Enhancing Clinical Competency in Hand Therapy Through Advanced Imaging Interpretation.
JACQUELINE STEPHENSON, Diversity Programs, Shared Clinical Services – POWH Diversity Programs attending and presenting at National Multicultural Health and Wellbeing Conference Melbourne 2025.
JADE DODKIN, Hospital In The Home – Enhancing Clinical Competency in Vascular Access for Hospital in the Home.
- JADE DODKIN, Physiotherapy – Online education for Musculoskeletal Physiotherapy Outpatients Department.
KARLEE MUELLE , Nursing Education Workforce and Research – Don’t Fall for It.
MATTHEW TRUDGETT, Speech Pathology – Funding for attendance at Annual Scientific Head and Neck Conference (ANZHNCS) in Adelaide.
RACHELLE ROBINSON, Orthotics Department – Up-skilling and supporting the Orthotics Workforce
SARAH POTTS, Speech Pathology- Specialized workshop on Flexible Endoscopic Evaluation of Swallowing (FEES).
Wellbeing
Supporting positive physical and emotional outcomes for staff and patients:
CHLOE YARWOOD, Community Health – Catherine Hayes Wellbeing Space.
DANIEL TREACY, Physiotherapy – Acknowledging POWH Allied Health Together for Wellbeing.
- DANIEL TREACY, Physiotherapy – Physiotherapy Staff Wellbeing and Recharge Space.
ELEANOR SMITH, Resident Medical Officers Association – JMO Wellbeing Week 2025.
ELENA ZAGOUDIS, Palliative Care Team / Social Work – Palliative care memorial service POW.
EMMA PLAYFAIR, Occupational Therapy – Pause & Reset: A Sensory Wellbeing Initiative.
ERIN MCLEAN, Nutrition and Dietetics – Worth The Weight.
JED YOUNG, Haematology Oncology Day Centre (HODC) – HODC STAR AWARDS.
JOHN BRAND, POWH Casual Pool – Patient and Family Diversion Therapy Resource Box.
KARIN VOGEL, Occupational Therapy – Seating Clinic Wellbeing.
KATHRYN POWER, Emergency – Toys for children, lifelike dolls for dementia patients.
LEONIE ROBERTSON, Randwick Campus operating suite – Healing Hertz and Harmony.
MELISSA SILVA, NEWR – End of Program Celebration and Gift for GradStart and Transition Enrolled Nurses.
POWH/SSEH WELLBEING COMMITTEE C/O Sharon Finn, Rhiannon Young, Mary Mulcahy, Ye Yang – Prince of Wales Hospital Springtime Wellness Event.
RHIANNON YOUNG, Executive Unit – Recognising the Administration Staff of POWH.
- RHIANNON YOUNG, Executive Unit – Christmas/End of Year Celebrations.
RYAN TAYLOR, Physiotherapy – Prince of Wales Aboriginal Yarning Tea.
- RYAN TAYLOR, Physiotherapy – Cultural Safety Art Workshop.
SKYE SADOKIERSKI, Pain Management Department –“Wellbeing in the Workplace” – a wellbeing space for the staff of the Pain Management Department.
STEPHANIE LUSTY, Adult ICU – Zen & Mend: Enhancing Staff Resilience in the AICU “Helping our carers care for themselves”.
YE YANG, Strategy, Innovation and Capacity – Celebrating Nursing Excellence at POWH – Celebrating nursing event throughout the year to promote wellbeing and person-centred care.
