Tara Murray
More than 4000 families have participated in a world-leading medical research project at Western Health’s Joan Kirner Women’s and Children’s Hospital.
Generation Victoria (GenV) is a research project with a goal of having a better approach to child and adult health and wellbeing in Victoria.
The project, the first of its kind, was launched 12 months ago by the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, which partnered with birthing hospitals, including the Joan Kirner.
GenV is giving a more complete picture of the health and wellbeing of a generation, providing the insight and information needed across some of the most complex problems faced by families.
The opt-in project follows babies and their parents to help solve common child and adult health problems.
GenV senior area manager at Western Health, Simone Quinton, said it was wonderful to see so many local families with diverse social and cultural backgrounds having the opportunity to take part.
“GenV is available in every community across the state, including at hospitals in Melbourne’s west,” she said.
“By involving as many children and families as possible in this once-in-a-generation research project, GenV can help to solve health concerns like asthma, food allergies, obesity, and mental illness.
“Our project aims to speed up finding answers to the major issues facing children and adults and provide the opportunity to better treat and prevent common and complex health problems.
Diggers Rest father of two, Bradley Aulich, joined GenV with partner Madelaine and daughter Nora at Joan Kirner Women’s and Children’s earlier this year.
“My partner and I signed up to GenV as we saw it as a great opportunity to help better health and wellbeing outcomes for Victoria’s future children and parents.
“As parents, we want nothing but the best future for our new baby, so when GenV invited us to be a part of this great research initiative, we were grateful that we too could help create a better future for newborns and parents,” he said.
