Community unites to raise record $112,000 for LGH Giving Day
The power of community generosity was on full display as the 2026 Launceston General Hospital (LGH) Giving Day exceeded every expectation, raising a preliminary total of more than $112,000 to support patient care wish list projects at the region's major hospital.
The day began with an ambitious fundraising target of $80,000, inspired by the success of the inaugural 2025 campaign. As donations poured in from across Northern Tasmania, that goal was quickly achieved, prompting organisers to lift the target to $100,000. By the close of Giving Day, the community had once again demonstrated its commitment to local healthcare, helping raise a record-breaking preliminary tally of $112,000.
A key feature of Giving Day was the support of generous matched pledge philanthropists and businesses who agreed to double donations during the campaign. Their leadership meant every dollar donated had twice the impact until matching pools were exhausted. The Clifford Craig Health Foundation acknowledged these philanthropic partners, as well as the hundreds of individual supporters, community groups and local businesses whose contributions enabled the campaign to surpass both fundraising targets.
Funds raised through Giving Day will support new patient care developments identified through the LGH wish list process, helping deliver practical improvements that enhance experiences for patients, families and healthcare staff.
The campaign also provided an opportunity to reflect on the impact of the inaugural 2025 Giving Day, which raised close to $80,000 and enabled the development of the takila nayri Healing Hearts Room on the LGH Maternity Ward. The dedicated space for bereaved families was a project championed for many years by the Cavaliers Netball Club and community advocates seeking a fit-for-purpose environment for families experiencing infant loss. Construction of the room has since commenced, bringing a long-held community aspiration closer to reality.
Throughout Giving Day 2026, community members heard moving tributes from advocates involved in bringing the takila nayri room to life. Their stories highlighted the tangible outcomes that can be achieved when a community comes together behind a shared vision for better healthcare facilities. Speakers reflected on the importance of creating safe, compassionate and fit-for-purpose spaces for patients and families, demonstrating how community philanthropy can directly improve healthcare experiences close to home.
Following this record achievement, the Clifford Craig Health Foundation is now setting its sights on an inaugural Giving Day for the North West Regional Hospital in Burnie, to be held on Thursday, 29 October. Building on the momentum generated in Launceston, the Foundation is inviting the North West community to unite behind patient care improvements close to home.
"We have platformed a proven model of enabling a community-wide approach to creating the improvements we want to see on the ground at our local hospitals for current and future generations," said Clifford Craig Health Foundation CEO, Vanessa Cahoon.
"Alongside these fundraising efforts, we also host community preventative health forums and events to educate and connect locals about proactive ways to live healthy lifestyles and, inevitably when we do need to access healthcare support, how to navigate the local health system."
With two consecutive years of strong Giving Day support in Launceston, the Foundation anticipates the North West community will embrace the opportunity to unite behind meaningful improvements at its local hospital when the North West Regional Hospital Giving Day launches on Thursday, 29 October, continuing a movement that is proving what can be achieved when communities invest in the future of regional healthcare.
