The Hush Foundation was established in 2000 by highly awarded and renowned physician, Dr. Catherine Crock AM, in response to her work with children undergoing painful medical procedures at The Royal Children’s Hospital Melbourne. Working alongside anaesthetists in the development of new pain relief systems for these young patients, Dr. Crock sought to reduce the stress and anxiety felt by patients, families and staff. Dr Crock then undertook to transform the environment of the operating theatre and recovery rooms through the use of especially composed music from some of Australia’s foremost musicians and composers. The music helps evoke a sense of calm and optimism. Since then, the work of Hush has expanded to encompass the culture of the system itself, and what can be done to improve the experience for patients, families and healthcare professionals. With three theatrical plays about health care, seventeen musical albums and a delightful children’s book – the ways in which Hush works to engage their audience and supporters continues to grow. As does their influence in changing a system at the centre of the human experience – health care. We have Deductible Gift Recipient 1 charity status, allowing you to make tax deductible donations. In 2015, Mary Freer and Dr Catherine Crock AM created Gathering of Kindness, after identifying the direct correlation between organisational negativity and staff wellbeing and effectiveness. The Gathering of Kindness aims to address this by building, nurturing and instilling a culture of kindness throughout the healthcare system. In 2022 our annual Gathering of Kindness event held in November each year is focused on ‘Connections’ with an inspiring and informative list of guest speakers sure to collectively propose a better way forward for healthcare staff.
