July 2026
CAREGIVER NEWS FROM ST JOHN OF GOD MURDOCH HOSPITAL
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A message from the CEO, Ben Irish
Welcome to the July Murdoch Monthly.
As always, I'm incredibly proud of the compassion and care our caregivers show every day, not only to our patients, but to one another.
On 5 August, we'll be recognising Am I OK Day with free coffees and massages to encourage us all to pause, check in with
ourselves and have meaningful conversations. Now more than ever, it's important to fill your own cup. I encourage you to take a few moments for yourself, reach out if you need support and remember that asking, "Am I OK?" is just as important as asking someone else.
I'd also like to thank everyone who took part in our NAIDOC Week celebrations. It was fantastic to see so many caregivers come together to celebrate and learn, with the incredible performance by the Wadumbah Dance Group providing a memorable opportunity to experience and deepen our appreciation of Aboriginal culture.
Looking ahead, from 26 July to 2 August, we'll be supporting DonateLife Week. I encourage you to wear pink to help raise awareness of organ and
tissue donation and inspire conversations with your loved ones about this important lifesaving gift.
Thank you for everything you do for our patients, our caregivers and our community. I hope you have a wonderful month ahead, and please continue to look after yourselves and each other.
Ben
Reflection - Introducing human dignity
As we begin a new financial year, we embrace the theme of human dignity as our formation focus. This is taken from our SJGHC Vision statement which reminds us that “We are recognised for care that provides healing, hope and a greater sense of dignity, especially to those most in need.”
The concept of human dignity is the belief that all people hold a special value that’s tied solely to their humanity. It has nothing to do with their class, race, gender, religion, abilities, or any other factor other than them being human. By valuing the inherent worth of each person, we create a community where respect, empathy, and justice thrive. Whether through simple acts of kindness, advocating for equality,
or celebrating diversity, each of us has the power to promote human dignity.
The following quote by Desmond Tutu reminds me of how connected we are to each other and how honouring the innate dignity of others helps me to understand my own. He references an ancient African philosophy and ethical concept called Ubuntu, that translates to the word humanity.
“Ubuntu ... speaks of the very essence of being human. ... It is to say, “My humanity is caught up, is inextricably bound up, in yours.” We belong in a bundle of life. We say, “A person is a person through other persons.”
In healthcare, this wisdom resonates deeply. Every day, caregivers encounter people at vulnerable moments in their lives—moments of illness, uncertainty, fear, and hope. Ubuntu invites us to see beyond a diagnosis, a task, or a role, and to recognise the inherent dignity of each person we meet. It challenges us to remember that no one stands alone; each person’s wellbeing affects the wellbeing of all.
Human dignity is not earned
through achievement, status, or ability. It belongs equally to every person simply because they are human. Ubuntu calls us to respond to that dignity with compassion, respect, and genuine presence. It reminds us that every moment matters, that listening is a gift, and that every interaction has the potential to affirm another person’s worth.
May we recognise in each person a dignity that deserves respect and care.
May we remember that our lives are woven together, each affecting the other in ways seen and unseen.
May a spirit of inclusion guide our words, our actions, and our decisions.
And may we grow in compassion, knowing that as we lift others up, we also enrich our own humanity.
Jenni
Director Mission Integration
Patient Experience Matters
NPS
Murdoch patients are saying:
Comment 1: Emergency Department
Everyone was extremely kind, efficient, serving patients at all times.They were thorough, listened, and provided excellent care for me.
Comment 2: St Rose
My whole experience was surrounded by outstanding care from nursing staff who performed their duties with kindness and expertise. This was supported by efficient admin, meal service and physio interactions.
Comment 3: St Michael
Wonderful treatment, kindness, care and respect from the doctors, nurses and all other staff I came into contact with. The meals were great too!
Caregiver of the Month
May: Pete Oldfield
Nominated by a caregiver
"Pete went out of his way to get a wheelchair to assist an elderly lady to attend her sleep study appointment. She had been sitting alone at the other end of the hospital and seemingly unable to make the journey to Main Hospital Reception. Upon getting the patient checked in at Main Reception, and showing her the restrooms, he escorted the patient with her belongings back to the Main Reception lounge, so she didn't risk a fall. I considered this very commendable."
Values Award
Bec Vinken for an Excellence Award
Nominated by a patient
"I recently spent a few nights in the CCU whilst receiving a pacemaker. The staff and doctors were all first class, but I would like to pass on my heartfelt thanks to Bec who looked after me during the day. Not only was she very thorough in carrying out her duties but she went above and beyond to make sure I was comfortable, well informed and cared for. At no stage did I feel anxious because her professionalism and relaxed manner put me at ease."
JMO of the Month
The Junior Medical Officer (JMO) of the month award recognises an outstanding intern, resident or registrar who exemplifies excellence in clinical care, teamwork, professionalism, and a commitment to learning. Nominated by their peers and supervisors, this award celebrates those who go above and beyond in supporting their colleagues and delivering compassionate, high-quality care to patients.
June: Dr Rijas Keethadath
Rijas is a pleasure to work with - friendly, approachable, and incredibly knowledgeable, he consistently goes above and beyond to support patients, staff, and VMOs. His ability to build strong rapport with everyone he meets is a testament to his professionalism and genuine care for others. Rijas has a bright future ahead of him, and we're excited to see all that he achieves.
Well done, Rijas! and thank you for your contributions to St John of God Murdoch Hospital!
Security receives the Heart of Murdoch: Team Excellence Award
This month, Hospice presented Security with the Heart of Murdoch: Team Excellence award.
"There is no price on safety, and when you work on a ward that is in its own building outside of the Main Hospital, it can sometimes feel like you’re in a different world. A world where our team work together to look out for each other. Early morning at shift change, each evening as the sun goes down, in the middle of the night when you least expect to see someone walking through the garden in Hospice, there is our Security Team. Something that may feel mundane, circling the Hospital grounds, checking locked doors, tasks to check off as completed. To the Hospice team,
this highlights care, it highlights recognition, it highlights the feeling of togetherness. It is mentioned on a number of occasions by the Hospice staff, seeing Security walk the grounds, check in with us, even stopping by just to say hello, how much of an impact this is on our team. We appreciate you checking in on us, even when we momentarily wonder who is in the gardens in the middle of the night. Thank you to the Security team from the Murdoch Hospice."
Congratulations to the Security team!
NAIDOC Week
NAIDOC Week took place from 5 to 12 July. At Murdoch, we proudly joined communities across Australia in celebrating the theme, "Fifty Years of Deadly", recognising 50 years of NAIDOC Week celebrations and the enduring contributions of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
This year, we marked the week by raising funds for our Charity of the Year, Djaalinj Waakinj Ear Health Program, through the sale
of greeting card packs featuring our Murdoch First Nations artwork. We also came together to enjoy a special performance by the Wadumbah Dance Group, who shared culture, storytelling and tradition through dance.
A heartfelt thank you to the Wadumbah Dance Group for helping us celebrate this important week and providing an opportunity to reflect on the rich histories, cultures and
achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
As we mark 50 years of NAIDOC Week, we remain committed to listening, learning and walking together on the journey of reconciliation.
Engineering a Brighter Future: Katherine Awarded Leadership Scholarship
St John of God Murdoch Hospital Project Engineer Katherine Gayler has been selected as one of seven Murdoch recipients of the Sister Bridget Clancy Scholarship for the Empowerment of Women through Education, supporting her continued professional development and leadership journey.
Katherine, who works in the Engineering Department, is using the scholarship to complete a Certificate IV in Leadership and Management through the Australian Institute of Management.
Katherine said she was excited for the opportunity to continue learning and strengthen her leadership skills.
“I love working in the Engineering Department of the hospital because every day is different,” she said.
“I’m constantly learning new skills,
meeting people and finding ways to help others.
“I love learning and want to make sure I can lead my team to the best of my ability, while also building stronger connections with other leaders and managers across the organisation.”
First offered in 2021 to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the Sisters’ foundation, the Sister Bridget Clancy Scholarship honours the visionary and courageous women who founded St John of God Health Care in Australia. The scholarship supports female caregivers undertaking studies focused on leadership development or women’s health.
Katherine has worked at Murdoch for the past eight years, beginning her career at the hospital as Maintenance Planner before stepping into the role of Project Engineer.
“I started at Murdoch in October
2018 as the Maintenance Planner, and in November 2022 became the Project Engineer,” she said.
“A lot of people don’t realise there is an Engineering Department, or that we do far more than fix door handles and replace lights.
“I really enjoy talking with people and learning how things work - whether it’s understanding a piece of equipment, seeing how a process is undertaken, or finding ways it could be improved.”
For Katherine, the most rewarding part of working in health care is knowing her work contributes to better outcomes for patients and caregivers alike.
“I love the fact that what we do can make such a difference in someone’s life, even if they never know you were involved,” she said.
The greenzone: Limited edition, unlimited impact!
On Tuesday 30 June, caregivers had the opportunity to collect a FREE limited-edition St John of God Murdoch Hospital Smartrider holder, featuring the beautiful artwork we created in collaboration with Aunty Neta Knapp, by visiting the Transperth information booth in the Caregiver Dining Room.
Thank you for your continued support of our Travel Greener @ Murdoch initiatives as work on the new carpark progresses. Every greener journey helps make a difference.
Who’s In Your Crew?
Last month we talked about the importance of having an embodied sense of nervous system literacy Your nervous system is your body's control centre, constantly assessing safety and danger, managing your responses to the world.
You're never alone when it comes to your nervous system. Think of your nervous system as the manager of your entire experience of the world. In a time when we're all figuring out AI and digital workers, you've had a whole team of friendly agents working for you - and they've been there the whole time!
Take a moment to understand your brain and meet some of the players that influence the state of your nervous system
Your brain’s CEO and voice of reason It makes thoughtful decisions, plans ahead, and keeps emotional reactions in check.
B
Here to run your familiar routines like assessments, documentation, handover protocols, so your conscious mind stays free for the moments that actually need your full attention.
This is your internal librarian pulling the right files at the right moment Helping you recall information - like a patient’s history, yesterday’s handover notes, or that someone hasn‘t had a visitor for a while Recalling the patterns you’ve learned over the years when you need it N
This is your little energiser Sharpening your focus as you move through your day Alert, ready, responsive - without tipping into anxiety
They are always scanning for threats It fires fast - even before your thinking brain knows what’s happening
Your calm, grounded and connected state You can make eye contact, read a patient’s mood and respond with warmth (even with your ‘to do’ list in the back of your mind)
The ‘go’ system that revs you up for action. Releases adrenaline, speeds your heart, and mobilises energy The gas pedal that gets you moving when you need to fight or flee
Your oldest survival system When fight or flight won’t work it pulls you into freeze, shutdown, numbness, and disconnection to conserve energy. It’s not giving up, it’s just your biology protecting you from complete burnout
Rather than seeing any of these nervous system states as ‘good’ or ‘bad,’ all of them are necessary and have a role to play What’s positive for our wellbeing is having some agency in controlling how much our nervous system swings between these states, and whether we have capacity to influence it What state do you find yourself in currently, and what can you do to influence it today?
Title DONATELIFE WA LAP FOR LIFE
Kick off DonateLife Week 2026 with a community lap around Galup Reserve to raise awareness for organ and tissue donation.
SUNDAY 26 JULY 10 AM TO 1 PM
Where: Lake Monger Recreation Club, 144 Gregory St, Wembley WA 6014
Enjoy free family fun including: •refreshments •kids’ activities •activation stalls For all enquiries, please contact: DonateLifeWA@health.wa.gov.au 1800 950 155 SCAN THE QR CODE TO RSVP
CDS corner
JuLY ‘26 SUPER DOC-U-MENTER Rijas
Why did you want to beco me a do ctor? beco ming a do ctor wasn’t o ne of those lifelo ng childho od dreams with a perfectly thoughout plan. i sort of stumbled into medicine & then fell in love with it. the m ore i learned, the m ore I appreciated the privilege of helping peo ple make sense of their illness when they need it m ost.
What is your favourite meal?
Still patiently waiting for so meo ne to invent a dish that’s better than malabar chicken dum biryani.
Fun fact?
i boarded my first flight at 25. last m o nth, when i turned 30, got to take off a plane by myself.
QUARTERLY MEDICAL DOCUMENTATION
DR ADRIAN REGLI
This month, the Clinical Documentation Specialists are focusing on anaemia.
Sisters welcome Murdoch babies three days apart
For sisters Graciella and Dianara, pregnancy was never going to be a solo journey.
Living under the same roof, the sisters discovered they were expecting just one day apart and spent the next nine months sharing every milestone together - from morning sickness and midnight snacks to obstetric appointments and preparing for their babies’ arrivals.
The experience became even more special when they welcomed their babies at St John of God Murdoch Hospital just three days apart.
“My sister tested first and got a positive result. The next day, she encouraged me to take a test as well, and to our surprise, mine came back positive too,” Graciella said.
“We were both so excited and immediately called our husbands to share the wonderful news.”
As if the timing wasn’t remarkable enough, the sisters say their four-year-old niece, Sohara, had predicted it all before either of them knew they were pregnant.
“She kept telling us that we both had babies in our tummies,” Graciella said.
“She also confidently predicted that my sister would have a boy and that I would have a girl. Amazingly, she was right.”
Throughout their pregnancies, the sisters shared every experience imaginable.
“It made the whole experience so much fun because we were literally going through everything together,” Graciella said.
“We’d find ourselves throwing up in the bathroom at the same time, meeting in the kitchen in the middle of the night because we were both hungry and going to all our appointments together.”
The pair even chose the same obstetrician, Dr Will Adams, attended ultrasound appointments together, organised maternity photo shoots, and prepared for their growing families.
“If I had to choose just one highlight, it would be going to our ultrasound appointments together,” Graciella said.
“Watching our babies grow and seeing them on the screen each time was such an emotional and special experience.”
When the sisters received dates for their births, one of their first conversations was about visiting each other in hospital after the babies arrived.
Fortunately, their babies were born just three days apart, allowing them to spend time together in the maternity ward and celebrate the beginning of a new generation.
“It honestly felt surreal that this had actually happened,” Graciella said.
“More than anything, we were just so happy and grateful that both babies arrived healthy and safe.”
The close timing delighted family members, who found themselves moving between hospital rooms to meet the newest arrivals.
“Our family was absolutely thrilled,” Graciella said.
“The hospital visits were definitely fun and a little chaotic, with family members going from one baby to the other.”
The sisters chose St John of God Murdoch Hospital for their births and said the experience exceeded their expectations.
“My sister and I would like to thank the wonderful team at St John of God Murdoch for the exceptional care we received throughout our pregnancies, births and postpartum stays,” Graciella said.
“We both felt incredibly supported, cared for and reassured every step of the way.”
“Having our babies delivered just three days apart made the experience even more special, and we are so grateful to the midwives, nurses, doctors and support staff who looked after both us and our babies with such kindness and professionalism.”
Now, as they begin life with newborns, the sisters hope the cousins’ unique beginning will become the foundation of a lifelong friendship.
"My biggest hope is that they grow up being the best of friends,” Graciella said.
“Since they were born only three days apart, they’ve already shared such a unique beginning to life, and I hope that special bond continues as they grow older.”
“I hope they always know they have a cousin who feels more like a sibling.”
Earrings for Earrings for Hearing Hearing
TH
FRIDAY 28 AUGUST
Djaalinj
PASTOR AL SERVICES FUNDR AISER FOR 12:00PM - 3:00PM
Waakinj Djaalinj Waakinj
MAIN HOSPITAL RECEPTION
OUTSIDE CHAPEL
Come visit our gift stall on Friday 28th August where we will be selling earrings, vinyl stickers, crocheted items, a range of giftware and so much more. With all profits suppor ting our Charity of the Year, not only can you walk away with some beautiful items, you will also be helping to change the lives of Aboriginal children living with hearing issues.
CASH & EFTPOS ACCEPTED
