Tag: healthcare

Life-Saving Cancer Imaging Now Available Locally for Redcliffe Patients

Photo Credit: Qscan

Redcliffe residents facing cancer now have access to life-saving PET-CT medical imaging right in their own neighbourhood through a new specialised clinic at the Altiva health hub.

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The local service recently started operating at Qscan Redcliffe on Silvyn Street, marking the first time this level of diagnostic technology has been available in the immediate area. 

Previously, patients had to travel to North Lakes or make the long trip into Brisbane city to reach the Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital for similar scans. Because these scans are a regular part of cancer treatment and monitoring, the ability to stay local removes a significant amount of stress and travel time for families during a difficult period.

Bridging the Gap in Local Healthcare

cancer
Photo Credit: Qscan

The new clinic sits within a thirty-million-dollar medical precinct located very close to the Redcliffe Hospital. While the public hospital provides many services, it does not currently have its own PET-CT facility, making this private addition a vital resource for the community. 

Kerri-Anne Dooley, the State Member for Redcliffe, noted that the arrival of the service is a major win for the City of Moreton Bay because it brings essential healthcare much closer to the homes of local people. This development is part of a larger plan to turn the site into a complete cancer care centre, with radiation oncology services from GenesisCare expected to join the hub soon.

Advanced Technology for Better Outcomes

cancer
Photo Credit: Qscan

A PET-CT scan is a highly detailed medical test that combines two different types of images to give doctors a clear picture of what is happening inside the body. The PET part of the scan looks at how cells are functioning and using energy, while the CT part provides a detailed map of the body’s structure. 

By putting these two images together, specialists can find diseases at a cellular level, see how far a cancer has spread, and check if treatments are working. Outside of cancer care, these scans are also used by doctors to investigate complex infections or inflammation that might not show up on a standard X-ray or ultrasound.

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Planning for a Growing Community

The need for more medical services in the region is high, as the population of Moreton Bay is expected to grow to seven hundred thousand people by the year 2041. With more than thirty-five thousand people in Queensland diagnosed with cancer every year, the demand for high-tech imaging continues to rise. 

To help manage the costs for local families, many of these scans at the Redcliffe clinic will be bulk billed for patients who meet Medicare requirements. This helps ensure that advanced healthcare is not just physically close, but also more affordable for those who need it most.

Published Date 06-May-2026

A Redcliffe Daughter Returns to Mark a Moment 25 Years in the Making

Kerri-Anne Dooley/Facebook

Redcliffe Hospital‘s palliative care unit has officially opened its refurbished lounge, garden courtyard and children’s play area, completing a transformation funded by the Moreton Bay community and delivering the kind of spaces that make an unbearable time feel, even briefly, a little more like home.

Read: Easter Extravaganza Returns to Redcliffe with Markets, Music and Fundraising

The opening drew together a gathering that reflected what the project is really about: supporters, patient ambassadors, hospital staff, community partners and families who have lived through the unit’s care. Among them was Karen Wilson, who returned to the unit for the first time since saying goodbye to her father Derek there, 25 years ago.

“Like so many families, we entered the world of palliative care with uncertainty, fear and grief,” Karen said. “But what we found here was something extraordinary. Not just a place with walls and equipment, but one where kindness, compassion, dignity and respect truly matter.”

A Garden That Brought Someone Back

Karen has since become a passionate Raise it for Redcliffe Hospital supporter, and it was her father’s love of the outdoors that made the courtyard project particularly meaningful. “Dad always loved his garden. Some of my most special memories are sitting outside together, sharing stories and laughter,” she said. “These spaces matter more than words express.”

The refurbishment encompasses the unit’s lounge, an outdoor garden courtyard and a dedicated children’s play area. Together these spaces give patients and their families somewhere to gather, breathe, and spend time together that does not feel like a clinical setting. For a unit that cares for around 600 patients and their families each year, the cumulative effect of that shift in environment is significant.

Redcliffe Hospital's refurbished palliative care lounge, courtyard and children's play area have officially opened, funded by the Moreton Bay community through Raise it for Redcliffe Hospital.
Photo Credit: Kerri-Anne Dooley/Facebook

Palliative Care Nurse Unit Manager Kim Shesgreen, who has worked with Moreton Bay families for 25 years, put it simply. “Sometimes people want to be at home and that’s not always possible. So being able to create a space that feels more like home, even for a short time, is incredibly important,” she said. “The changes have made a real difference. They’ve created warm, welcoming spaces where families spend time together and even for a moment, not feel they’re in a hospital.”

Built by the Community, for the Community

The project is the latest achievement of Raise it for Redcliffe Hospital, an initiative of the RBWH Foundation that has raised more than $1 million for the hospital since launching in 2021. The initiative funds a range of hospital projects through its annual Giving Day, with every donation matched by community Impact Partners. A previous round of fundraising transformed the hospital’s Rehabilitation and Stroke Unit, and the palliative care refurbishment has been the focus of multiple campaigns since.

Photo Credit: Google Maps

Redcliffe Hospital is an approximately 250-bed regional hospital that has been caring for its community since the 1960s, providing services including medical, surgical, cancer care, maternity, palliative care, paediatrics and emergency care. The RBWH Foundation’s partnership with the hospital through Raise it for Redcliffe allows the community to fund projects that fall outside the scope of standard government healthcare budgets, adding the kind of human touches that formal funding rarely reaches.

Redcliffe Hospital Executive Director Cang Dang described palliative care as one of the most important services any hospital provides. “They support patients and families through a very difficult and challenging journey, but it’s a time when families come together, say goodbye and recognise what matters most,” he said. “This project has only been possible through the goodwill, generosity and support of our community and Raise it for Redcliffe Hospital partners. We are incredibly grateful.”

At the opening, guests received a symbolic butterfly, chosen to represent remembrance, comfort and the ongoing care these new spaces will provide to future families.

How to Keep the Work Going

The next Raise it for Redcliffe Hospital Giving Day falls on 21 May 2026, with all donations made in the lead-up doubled by community Impact Partners. This year’s Giving Day will support ongoing work to improve comfort, research and wellbeing for patients and families across the Moreton Bay region.

To donate or find out more, visit raiseitforredcliffe.com.au or call 1300 363 786.

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Published 13-April-2026