RU: Gregan appeal to build hospital playground

AAP General News (Australia)
04-06-2006
RU: Gregan appeal to build hospital playground

CANBERRA, April 6 AAP - Wallabies veteran George Gregan was today to launch an appeal
to help build a new children's playground at Canberra Hospital.

The fundraiser was to be launched late this afternoon by the George Gregan Foundation,
which aims to provide cash-strapped hospitals with purpose-built recreation areas.

Gregan and his wife Erica started the foundation in 2004 after their son Max was diagnosed
with epilepsy.

The foundation has already successfully raised funds for hospital playgrounds in Brisbane
and Sydney.

Special collectors' cards of Brumbies rugby union team players have been made for the
campaign, and will be distributed in a Canberra letter-boxing campaign.

Gregan said the playground, like the others his foundation has created, would be architect-designed.

"We are looking to build a playground with a jungle theme in Canberra that will be
interactive, with noises," he told ABC radio.

"This will be a fantastic project for the community to get behind."

The playground would give families the opportunity to spend some quality time together
when a child was in hospital, he said.

"Some families are in these hospitals for long periods of time, and it gives them an
opportunity to do all the things which you take for granted when you're not in hospital,
like going out and playing with your children in the playground," he said.

AAP ms/mfh/jas/sp

KEYWORD: GREGAN

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