Tuesday, 21 January, 2025
Unified approach for Autism
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Water safety reminders over busy summer
Real estate liftout inside
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A Star News Group Publication
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Miles for McGrath: Dr Malhotra’s epic By Shamsiya Hussainpoor A well-known Boronia resident, Dr Pradbodh Malhotra, has completed his third consecutive walk in support of the McGrath Foundation, raising over $123,000 for breast cancer care. Starting on 3 November 2024 at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG), the retired academic trekked across thousands of kilometres to reach the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) on 3 January 2025. “Australia has given me such a wonderful life, and I’ve always wanted to contribute, and after retiring from academia, this walk became my way of giving back,” Dr Malhotra said. Over the two-month jour-
ney, which took him through the Gippsland coast, the Clyde Mountain, and Canberra, Dr Malhotra faced both physical and mental challenges. “It’s 70 to 80 per cent mental strength, not just physical,” he said. “If you’re mentally motivated, the body will follow.” Dr Malhotra also met many inspiring individuals along the way, including a breast cancer survivor who praised the McGrath Foundation’s nurses. “It made me feel like someone truly cared,” she told him. With donations still coming in, Dr Malhotra’s dedication continues to inspire others in the fight against cancer. Story, page 6
Dr Malhotra spent two months walking from the MCG to the SCG, raising both funds and awareness for the McGrath Foundation. (Rob Carew: 453903)
Anger towards Eastern Health as unit will close after only six years
Angliss ICU shock By Shamsiya Hussainpoor The announcement that Angliss Hospital’s Intensive Care Unit (ICU) in Upper Ferntree Gully will close later this year has shocked both hospital staff and the local community. The closure, prompted by ongoing construction at the hospital, has raised serious concerns about the impact on patient care and local healthcare services. Ann-Marie Caspanello, one of the ICU’s first
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tion-related disruptions. Staff and community members are calling for more transparency and assurance that the ICU will reopen once construction is completed in 2026. Local MP Aaron Violi also voiced his concerns, urging the Victorian Government to guarantee the ICU’s future. With the hospital’s ICU closing, locals face uncertainty about the future of their healthcare services. For full story, turn to page 5
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been so essential, especially with the region’s rising population. Hospital staff, meanwhile, are reeling from the news, with one anonymous nurse describing the closure as devastating. Concerns are mounting over the strain on other departments, particularly the Emergency Department (ED), and the potential delays for critically ill patients needing urgent care. Eastern Health, which governs the hospital, said the decision was necessary due to construc-
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patients when it opened in 2018, expressed her disbelief over the decision. Having relied on the ICU’s proximity during her recovery from a severe asthma attack, Ms Caspanello emphasised how vital the unit was for her family. “Being close to home was a real blessing,“ she said. As the area grows, her husband, Patrick Benko, warned that the need for local healthcare would only increase. He questioned the logic behind shutting down a facility that had