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As autumn arrives, Mercy Health reflects on three unique stories of the summer season. Each highlights a different way in which the Catholic health and aged care organisation connects with those in its care, and the wider community.
A New Year Begins with Victoria’s First Baby
One standout, press-worthy moment came right at the beginning of the year, when Mercy Health marked a joyful milestone at Heidelberg’s Mercy Hospital for Women.
The hospital welcomed Victoria’s first baby of 2026, with newborn Eli Bergantino arriving at 12:05am on New Year’s Day. Delivered by obstetrics registrar Dr Maxi Worboys, together with Dr Sophie Nunn and Dr Katie Smith, Eli weighed 4.67kg and measured 57cm. His arrival was a long‑awaited surprise for first‑time parents Dana and Alex, who had expected him ten days earlier.
It was a bustling New Year’s Eve for the Mercy Health maternity team, with nine births across the night and several families hoping for the symbolic first‑baby title. When staff realised Eli was Victoria’s earliest arrival of 2026, the delivery room burst into celebration — a moment Dr Worboys described as “an honour and a team effort”.
Mum Dana said she was relieved and overjoyed to finally meet her son, noting he “made it his little mission to just tick over to 12.05.” Eli made his world and media debut, appearing on Nine News and in the Herald Sun.
Compassion in Action on World Day of the Sick
On 11 February, Mercy Health observed World Day of the Sick with a story for Melbourne Catholic readers on the dedicated service provided by palliative care volunteers in Melbourne’s west. Guided by Pope Leo XIV’s theme, “The compassion of the Samaritan: loving by bearing another’s pain”, Mercy Palliative Care highlighted the essential role volunteers play in offering presence, dignity and comfort to people nearing the end of life.
Across communities from Wyndham to Maribyrnong, volunteers spend time with patients and families, listening to stories, sharing memories and providing gentle companionship that clinical care alone can’t provide. Their work reflected the Venerable Catherine McAuley’s enduring legacy of mercy in action and showed what it means to step toward those in need, regardless of background or circumstance.
With the support of comprehensive training, pastoral guidance and ongoing supervision, volunteers contribute to a multidisciplinary team that brought specialist care, emotional support and spiritual accompaniment directly into people’s homes. For many families, this presence becomes a profound source of peace during some of life’s most vulnerable moments. Read the form article for Melbourne Catholic here.
Nurturing Creativity and Connection in Later Life
Another uplifting moment to emerge over summer came from Mercy Place Warrnambool, where resident Leonie, 71, took part in one of the region’s most inspiring creative ventures. Leonie uses a motorised wheelchair and one of the ways she stays active and social is through her connection to music.
For the past six years, Leonie has been a proud member of the Find Your Voice Warrnambool choir, which is part of the broader Find Your Voice (FYV) Collective, an inclusive creative movement known for its original music and community‑driven ethos. In February, Leonie travelled to Melbourne to perform at the Sidney Myer Music Bowl, joining the Warrnambool choir as they took to the stage with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra to share a repertoire of original works before a large audience.
Leonie reflected that performing at the iconic venue was “a big thrill” to travel to Melbourne with the choir to perform before such a large audience and made special mention of the continued support of her sisters, Monica and Carol.
Lifestyle Coordinator Bev Stutchbury highlighted how Leonie’s support and encouragement of other residents is characteristic of the Mercy Place experience. “What we admire most about Leonie is the way she elevates the people around her. Whether it’s during activities or in everyday social settings, she’s always kind and enthusiastic. At Mercy Place Warrnambool, we’re committed to person centred care, and Leonie brings that spirit to life every day, helping create a sense of purpose, belonging and wellbeing for everyone she meets.”
Carrying Mercy Values into Fire-Affected Communities
A powerful display of compassion and service this summer emerged from Mercy Place Keon Park, where staff, residents and volunteers rallied behind nurse Talwinder Singh’s efforts to support bushfire‑affected communities.
Between shifts as a registered nurse and clinical care coordinator, Talwinder volunteered with Australian Sikh Support, delivering food, water and essential supplies to towns impacted by bushfires across regional Victoria. On the first day alone, the group organised 30 boxes of pizzas and crates of water for families and firefighters sheltering in community halls, later travelling to Yea, Highlands, Ruffy, Seymour, Cowes and Geelong to offer further assistance.
Talwinder’s motivation comes from his faith and his profession. “Volunteering isn’t just about helping others — it’s how I live my faith,” he said. “Sikhism teaches that selfless service is a duty, and nursing is another form of that service.” Both roles, he added, stem from compassion and care.
His commitment resonated across Mercy Place Keon Park, inspiring a donation drive that collected more than $1,000 worth of essential goods, from blankets and doonas to toiletries and kitchen staples. These were distributed to households affected by the Central Victorian bushfires, contributing to the 900 people supported by Australian Sikh Support in January.
For Talwinder, the experience underscored the power of community: “You see ordinary people doing extraordinary things, and that makes all the travel, the late nights and the heavy lifting worth it.”
