Queensland Children's Hospital: Art, heart and creating a place like home
At just four weeks old, Evie Smith was diagnosed with cystic fibrosis following a routine newborn screening.
Within days, her family’s world shifted from their home in Toowoomba to regular trips to the Queensland Children’s Hospital and the beginning of years of specialist care, medications and hospital admissions which often lasted weeks at a time.
Evie required a port for IV treatments, a feeding tube to support her nutrition and ongoing physiotherapy to help keep her lungs strong. Strict infection-control rules meant she could not mix with other children on the ward, making long hospital stays especially isolating.
Beyond the treatments, it was the time away from school, friends and everyday childhood that weighed heaviest. Hospital became a second home, but one that was far from everything familiar.
Evie’s experience is shared by thousands of Queensland families each year.
Every day, some of Queensland’s sickest children leave the places they call home to receive life‑saving care at the Queensland Children’s Hospital.
For one in three families, that journey begins far from Brisbane, in regional towns, rural communities and coastal centres across the state. It often means weeks or months away from familiar routines, siblings, school and support networks.
When a child becomes seriously ill or injured, hospital becomes their second home.
Evie receiving treatment at the Children's Hospital.
While medical teams provide world‑class clinical care, the Children’s Hospital Foundation helps make hospital feel more like home – funding therapy programs, play spaces, library services and practical family support that surround children with wrap‑around care and connection when they need it most.
During Evie’s long admissions, the Foundation helped bring moments of colour and connection into her hospital days through bedside art packs, play activities and visits from support dogs that lifted her spirits when she needed it most.
Today, at nearly 12 years old, Evie’s health is more stable, and hospital visits are less frequent.
Her story is a reminder that hospital care is about more than medicine.
Children’s Hospital Foundation CEO Lyndsey Rice said it was about helping hospital feel more like home.
“The Children’s Hospital Foundation is incredibly proud of the way communities across Queensland came together this year to help bring the feeling of home into hospital for children like Evie,” Ms Rice said.
“Through our Help Make Hospital Feel More Like Home campaign, families, artists and local communities shared what home means to them, creating a powerful collective portrait of connection and care from right across the state.
“From regional art workshops and exhibitions in Warwick and Mackay to a large-scale projection across Brisbane Powerhouse, it was a moving reminder that when children can’t be at home, Queenslanders come together to help bring that feeling to them.”
You can support more kids like Evie by donating to childrens.org.au
Related topics
Things to note
The information in this article has been prepared for general information purposes only and is not intended as legal advice or specific advice to any particular person. Any advice contained in the document is general advice, not intended as legal advice or professional advice and does not take into account any person’s particular circumstances. Before acting on anything based on this advice you should consider its appropriateness to you, having regard to your objectives and needs.
Insurance Products (excluding Travel Insurance) are issued by RACQ Insurance Limited ABN 50 009 704 152 (RACQI) and arranged by RACQ Distribution Services Pty Ltd (RDS) ABN 35 116 361 650, AFSL 567130 and RDS' authorised representatives (including RACQ Operations Pty Ltd ABN 80 009 663 414, AR No. 234978 (RACQO)). Conditions, limits and exclusions apply.
Any advice provided by RDS and RACQO is general advice only and does not take into account your personal objectives, financial situation or needs and you will need to consider whether the advice is appropriate for you. Read the Product Disclosure Statement (PDS) before making a purchase decision on the product. You can also access our Target Market Determinations on this website.
RDS receives a commission from RACQI for the policies it arranges. RACQO receives fees paid for services it provides to RDS. Further details about remuneration are available on request prior to purchasing.
Banking and loan products issued by Members Banking Group Limited ABN 83 087 651 054 AFSL/Australian credit licence 241195 trading as RACQ Bank. Terms, conditions, fees, charges and lending policies apply. This is general advice only and may not be right for you. This information does not take your personal objectives, circumstances or needs into account. Read the disclosure documents for your selected product or service, including the Financial Services Guide and the Terms and Conditions, and consider if appropriate for you before deciding.
Except for RACQ Bank, any RACQ entity referred to on this page is not an authorised deposit-taking institution for the purposes of the Banking Act 1959 (Cth). That entity’s obligations do not represent deposits or other liabilities of RACQ Bank. RACQ Bank does not guarantee or otherwise provide assurance in respect of the obligations of that entity, unless noted otherwise.
RACQ Bank subscribes to the Customer Owned Banking Code of Practice which establishes higher standards than the law requires. The Code reflects modern consumer expectations and developments in approaches to issues such as consumer vulnerability, guarantors, and supporting customers through financial hardship. Please read our Customer Owned Banking Code of Practice page for more information.
RACQ Operations Pty Ltd (ABN 80 009 663 414 AR 000234978) and Members Travel Group Pty Ltd (ABN 45 144 538 803 AR 000432492) are acting as an Authorised Representative of the issuer of the insurance, Tokio Marine & Nichido Fire Insurance Co., Ltd. (ABN 80 000 438 291 AFSL 246 548). Any advice set out above is general in nature only, and does not take into account your objectives, financial situation or needs. Before purchasing any travel products, please consider the RACQ Travel Insurance Product Disclosure Statement (PDS) and the Target Market Determinations (TMDs) that apply to these products. Whilst the PDS outlines the Terms and Conditions of these products, the TMDs outline the intended class of customers that comprise the target market for these travel products. This will allow you to consider which products best suit your objectives, financial situation and needs and consider the products appropriateness to your personal circumstances. TMDs also outline matters involving the distribution and the review of these products. The PDS, Supplementary PDS and TMDs for each travel product can be found here.