After receiving care at the Ballarat Base Hospital for a burst appendix, eight-year-old Rebecca Harrison wanted to pay it forward.
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The Mount Pleasant Primary School grade three pupil was rushed to the Ballarat Base Hospital by her family earlier this month after suffering from severe stomach pains.
When she arrived at the hospital, doctors found her appendix had burst and she needed to undergo emergency surgery.
“I was recently in hospital and because I was so sick they had to take my blood pressure but the cuff (monitor) to take my blood pressure wasn’t working so they had to do it by hand,” she said.
“The staff there were so helpful and good to me, but it made me think they could use some more better equipment to help people in need.”
In a bid to help staff at the hospital, Rebecca penned a heartfelt letter to the Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull imploring him to put more funding into health services in Ballarat.
She also wrote and posted a similar letter to Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews just days ago, asking the state government to consider doing the same.
“I just think the hospital staff have to help so many people and they have a really hard job,” she said. “They deserve all the support they can get. Especially to support really sick people or people like kids and the elderly.”
Her grandfather, renowned Aboriginal elder Murray Harrison said Rebecca was proactive in speaking out about homelessness, racism and all kinds of social inequality.
“For such a young girl she is just so aware and switched on,” he said. “This isn’t just for her, but for everyone who goes to the hospital because we know money in any organisation is hard to come by but there couldn’t be any more important cause than the health of people.”
Rebecca hasn’t heard from the Mr Turnbull or Mr Andrews yet, but she is hopeful she will receive a response.
“I know they’re pretty busy but I hope they write back soon,” she said.
The Courier contacted Mr Turnbull’s office for comment and is awaiting a response.