Back home for the holiday — that’s the best tonic

AS terrific as the staff and treatment are at the Royal Hobart Hospital, Katrina Quinn is happy to see the back of it today.

Ms Quinn, from Sorell, will have her nine-year-old daughter, Matilda Rusher, home for Good Friday.

Matilda spends frequent time in the hospital’s paediatrics ward as part of her treatment for cystic fibrosis.

“For the last five years she has been coming in every three months for 10 days and that is to receive antibiotic treatment and physiotherapy, it is like maintenance for her cystic fibrosis,” Ms Quinn said.

“It is very exciting to have some family time over Easter. It will be nice to be home and out of here.”

Hayden Duncan, 6, won’t be so lucky. He’ll be in the ward as doctors look for a cure for his night seizures.

His mum, Nicole Brereton, originally from Cygnet but now living in Melbourne, said they were back visiting family when they were forced to go into hospital on Tuesday night.

“It has been challenging,” Ms Brereton said.

“He’s a little ball of energy, but he’s been good and they have been really good in here.

“The staff here have been the best and we’ve been to some of the big hospitals in Melbourne.”

The children on the paediatric ward and the neonatal and paediatric intensive care unit received a visit from TSL Tigers with players bearing hot cross buns and Easter eggs.

Marcus Davies, a former Carlton player and now star Tiger, said it was rewarding to take the time to make the visit.

“Part of playing football is about reaching out to our community and to those less fortunate,” Davies said.

“It is a pleasure for the Tigers to spend a bit of time with the kids who are a bit sick or not doing so well and hopefully we can give them a smile.”