Partnership extended to benefit more terminally ill children

Ambulance Victoria (AV) and TLC for Kids have formally renewed their invaluable agreement which allows paramedics to facilitate treasured experiences for children in palliative care and their families.

The partnership, in place since 2019, operates the TLC Ambulance service, which takes sick kids and their families on special memory-making trips.

AV paramedics volunteer their own time to ensure the service can run, making joyful moments possible and medically safe for families with children approaching end of life.

The renewal of the TLC for Kids and AV partnership will see a significant expansion of the TLC Ambulance service with the introduction of a wheelchair-accessible vehicle.

This specialised vehicle is equipped for the comfort of children who rely on wheelchairs and are unable to use a stretcher.

AV Chief Executive Officer Jordan Emery said he is proud to continue the valuable partnership.

“TLC for Kids do a phenomenal job creating moments of joy for terminally ill children and their families, and at AV we’re incredibly proud to know that our highly-skilled paramedics play a vital role in making that possible,” he said.

“I know operating the TLC Ambulance is an opportunity our paramedics truly treasure – volunteering their own time for the service and being involved in such a special day for the children and families who need it most.

“I’m proud to work alongside the paramedics at AV who put their hand up to operate the TLC Ambulance, doing so in their own time and out of the goodness of their heart.”

The TLC Ambulance is an Australian-first service, using specially designed ambulance vehicles to provide medically appropriate transport for terminally ill children, beyond standard hospital transfers.

It was the idea of AV paramedic Jemima Tawse, whose daughter Emily received support from TLC for Kids before she passed away at age seven.

“Emily was born way too early, at 24 weeks, and spent most of her life in hospital,” Jemima said.

“When you get a terminal illness diagnosis, everything seems to be groundhog day. To get a little ray of sunshine in all that storm is really nice.

“All moments in life matter and it’s nice to make the last moments quality time together.”

Jemima suggested the idea of a dedicated palliative care ambulance for children to AV’s then CEO, which got the ball rolling to create the TLC Ambulance service.

Memory-making trips facilitated by the service include getting an ice-cream by the beach, visiting the zoo or dropping in to see relatives – experiences that may not be otherwise possible for terminally ill children and their families.

TLC for Kids CEO and Founder Tim Conolan AM said it’s special to be expanding the service.

“The TLC Ambulance is more than transport, it is about creating unforgettable moments of connection, dignity and joy for children and their families when time is heartbreakingly short,” he said.

“We are profoundly grateful to Ambulance Victoria and their dedicated paramedics for the generosity, compassion and professionalism that make these experiences possible.

“Through this renewed partnership, and with the introduction of a wheelchair-accessible vehicle, we can extend this gift to even more children, ensuring no child misses out on the chance to share a special day with the people they love.”

The new memorandum of understanding extends the partnership until 30 June 2027.