MBPH Grants Program

The Lucas Foundation has previously raised funds to provide comfort and assistance to residents of Sunraysia, suffering financial hardship due to unforeseen circumstances or illness affecting their children.

The Mildura Base Public Hospital (MBPH) Foundation is proud to be continuing the legacy of The Lucas Foundation in supporting families and children under the age of 12 who need to travel to metropolitan areas for medical treatment for extended periods.

Every year, around 150 families from the Sunraysia area go through the heartache, pain and financial stress of a treasured infant requiring medical treatment hundreds of kilometres away from home for illness or unforeseen circumstances.

In 2013, little Lucas Whitelegg of Mildura was diagnosed as the nation’s youngest ever baby to contract Botulism. Spending nine months in intensive care, and a further six weeks on the ward of the Monash Medical Centre, Lucas’ young parents found themselves in desperate need of support for their relocation to Melbourne.

During this testing time, the local district rallied behind the family, organising one of the biggest fundraisers ever seen. And in the Whitelegg’s own words, it was the generosity of their local community that enabled them to persevere through their darkest hours.

With little or no financial support available for the many regional families with a sick child, The Lucas Foundation was created to provide a helping hand, and to assist in alleviating burden on families that find themselves in these most trying of times and now the MBPH Foundation is continuing the legacy.

The Mildura Base Public Hospital is delighted to be associated with The Lucas Foundation who has generously donated $220,000 to MBPH Foundation.