Will, Be there!

The staff at the University of Newcastle, the oral health community, colleagues and friends of Casey Holmes, decided to put together a fantastic CPD event to help the family in these difficult times. This is their story.

William Holmes

The day started like any other Monday morning. Preschool drop off for Sophia, 4, and family day care for William, 2. Then off to work for the day. Around 3.50pm Casey received a call from day care saying Will was crying and inconsolable. Casey left work straight away for the 40 minute drive home. Casey rang day care while she was driving and Will's teacher advised her he must have worn himself out as he was asleep on the lounge. He was still sleeping when Casey arrived and she decided to stay with him there until he woke. After about an hour of sleeping he started vomiting but was not waking. Alarm bells started to ring. They rang an ambulance and were taken to John Hunter Hospital. A CT scan was taken and they were advised Will needed life saving surgery ASAP as he had a bleed in his brain. He had a craniectomy and was then taken to PICU in an induced coma before being transferred to Sydney Children's Hospital the next day. Will had further scans and another surgery to remove the blood clot. He was in ICU for 9 days then moved to a ward. Rehabilitation was started straight away. Will has had to learn everything again from swallowing and eating to walking and talking. They were transferred back to JHH 8 days later where he continued intensive rehab for another 4 weeks.

There is still no definitive diagnosis as to why the bleed occurred. Most likely an Arteriovenous Malformation. To date Will has had 3 brain surgeries with the possibility of more to come as he grows. Will will require regular MRI's to monitor any changes until after puberty.

He continues to see a Physiotherapist, Occupational Therapist and Speech Pathologist 3 times a week and will do so for some time to come. His progress is beyond amazing. He is now walking with an aid and his speech is improving everyday.



The CPD event will be run in a way to minimise costs in order to increase the amount of money raised. The University of Newcastle is providing the facilities, all presenters and organisers are participating voluntarily and catering costs will be reduced to a minimum. Expect a very well organised event, in a great venue, with great speakers, but no great bells and whistles in the food department. This is a very inexpensive way to get very high quality CPD hours and at the same time support a colleague’s family.

If you want to attend the CPD event, make a donation of $150 or more that will count as your registration. Of course, you can also make a separate donation, even you can't attend the event. Every bit counts.
Please leave in the comments after your donation if you are attending the event.

We are supporting Will.

Will you be there? We Will!!!!

The event will take place on the 27th of October 2018 in Lecture theatre 2 at the University of Newcastle's Central Coast campus.

Program

8:30 - Registration 
9:00 - A/Prof Angus Cameron
10:00 - MORNING TEA
10:30 - Dr Soo-Wee Ong
11:30 - Dr Craig Erskine
12:30 - LUNCH
1:30 - Dr Emma Beckett
2:30 - Ms Kay Franks
3:30 - Student presentations
4:00 - Lucky door prizes and close of event
CPD certificates handed out.