A MAJOR addition to the Fulham Road medical precinct has been marked with the official opening of consulting rooms developed by a Townsville surgeon.

Levi Morse of Morse Orthopaedics has developed the premises at 52 Fulham Rd both as a medical centre for his practice and an allied health firm Sportsmed NQ.

A single-storey building designed and constructed by Townsville builder Proview Homes provides each of the practices with consulting rooms, waiting room and reception and amenities.

A former residential property was demolished for the project. Dr Morse said the development had provided modern purpose-built medical facilities for the practices in what he expected would be a continuing trend for the area.

Last week Mater Hospital launched its $52 million first stage expansion to provide four new operating theatres, a day surgery unit and expanded X-ray facilities.

Dr Morse said he and his staff enjoyed working in the new building and their patients often remarked about the attractive premises. “We’re really proud of the space and feel it adds a real presence along the Fulham Rd Medical Precinct,” Dr Morse said.

“Patients appreciate having an attractive building and it helps us in our working space.” Dr Morse said having Sportsmed NQ sublease one of the suites was an advantage. “We work closely together to treat orthopaedic patients.

It’s a one-stop shop for them,” Dr Morse said. “What I see occurring is more and more development like this along the Fulham Rd precinct.” The medical precinct and the Mater site have been earmarked for further development as Townsville’s specialised centre for private acute medical services since the City Plan was reviewed and adopted in 2014.

Also, early last year Townsville City Council provided preliminary approval for the Mater’s master plan for development looking ahead for 30 years.

Dr Morse is a proud North Queenslander. He completed his secondary schooling in Townsville and undertook training in Adelaide and Bristol in the United Kingdom before returning with his young family to live in Townsville.

“For us, Townsville is a fantastic place to bring up kids. “There are a number of advantages to working here rather than in a capital city,” Dr Morse said.

Dr Morse is also a co-director of the Orthopaedic Research Institute of Queensland.

It is a non-profit organisation that conducts scientific and clinical research in orthopaedic surgery.

TONY RAGGATT
Business Editor

Our new Practice at 52 Fulham Road, Pimlico

We are very excited to have now moved in to our new premises at 52 Fulham Road.

Our New Waiting Rooms

The rooms look fantastic, and we’re looking forward to serving the community here for years to come.

A TOWNSVILLE couple is putting aside their heart-wrenching grief over their only son’s life-threatening cancer diagnosis to help raise money for children’s cancer research.

Orthopaedic surgeon Levi Morse and his wife Tina’s three-year-old son Orlando was diagnosed with stage four, high risk, neuroblastoma when he was only eight months old.

Orthopaedic surgeon Levi Morse and his wife Tina’s three-year-old son Orlando was diagnosed with stage four, high risk, neuroblastoma

“When we were told how serious his diagnosis was we felt like the world had stopped, our world had stopped,” Mrs Morse said. “I felt like I was drowning. I’d come up for a breath of air, and then I’d be told another piece of horrendous information about Orlando’s diagnosis and then I felt I was being pushed under the water again.”

Dr Morse said learning a child had a life-threatening illness was “as bad as it gets”.
“I needed to take time away from my job and focus on my family,” he said.
“Orlando’s cancer has affected the whole family very deeply, to our core.”

The couple, who also have three daughters, is organising a gala dinner and charity auction at A Touch of Salt restaurant on August 1 to raise funds for the Kids’ Cancer Project.

The Kids’ Cancer Project, founded by Townsville man Col Reynolds OAM, is also starting a major fundraising campaign on August 2. Mr Reynolds will drive his bus down the east coast of Australia, starting in Townsville, to raise awareness and encourage more people to support research into childhood cancers.

Dr Morse said the Kids’ Cancer Project was unique because it focused on supporting childhood cancer research.

“We were given a number from the outset with regards to the likelihood of recovery at five years, and that sticks with you as an ongoing devastating thought,” he said.

“For Orlando’s type of cancer there’s about a 20-30 per cent five-year survival rate.
“Leukaemia has about an 80-90 per cent survival rate at the moment. Thirty years ago a leukaemia diagnosis was a death sentence.

“Research is vital and changes the outcome for many childhood cancers.

“We want to raise as much as we can for childhood cancer research so no other family needs to go through this.”

How to help
To book tickets to the gala fundraiser on August 1 go to trybooking.com/QRBU or to donate to the auction contact The Kids’ Cancer Project at hello@tkcp.org.au or go to thekidscancerproject.org.au

By:  BETTINA WARBURTON, Townsville Bulletin
July 14, 2017