Subsidised Infant Hip Screening Now Available in Mount Gambier Through Dr Sue Charlton AM Memorial Fund

The first project funded through the Dr Sue Charlton AM Memorial Sub Fund will support gap-free access to clinical hip screening and community awareness activities, ensuring cost is not a barrier to early diagnosis and intervention for local families.

Established following Sue's death in January, the memorial sub fund has attracted strong community support and transforms her lifelong commitment to children's health into a practical and lasting community benefit.

The initiative will be delivered through a partnership between Stand Like Stone Foundation and 1 Stop Paediatric Services, supporting subsidised screening and community awareness activities.

Approximately 400 babies are born in Mount Gambier each year and access to hip screening can be influenced by cost, awareness and referral pathways. The program aims to ensure more families can access screening and support when needed.

A respected paediatric physiotherapist, educator and researcher, Sue dedicated decades to supporting children across the Limestone Coast and was a passionate advocate for infant hip screening and early intervention.

As a founder, inaugural chair and later patron of Stand Like Stone Foundation, Sue also played a pivotal role in building the community philanthropy model that has now made this initiative possible.

Stand Like Stone Foundation chair Georgie McKay said the initiative was a fitting continuation of Sue's life's work.

"Sue devoted her career to improving the lives of children and families in regional South Australia, championing early identification of hip instability,” she said.

"It is a fitting tribute that her legacy will continue by helping local babies access early hip screening and diagnosis - creating the kind of lasting community impact that Sue worked so passionately to achieve."

Dr Peter Charlton said the Charlton family had been deeply touched by the community's support and knew his late wife Sue would be delighted to see the fund delivering practical benefits for local families.

“Knowing that Sue's legacy will continue through a program that helps local babies and families means a great deal to us,” he said.

“Sue was passionate about children's health and understood that early diagnosis and intervention could prevent a lifetime of unnecessary challenges and difficulties for children and their families.”

He said the lifelong impact on movement due to undiagnosed hip dysplasia could potentially be rectified with simple measures if a scan occurred within two weeks of birth.

“We know Sue would be incredibly proud to see this work continuing in the community she loved,” he said.

Physiotherapist Sarah Ransom from 1 Stop Paediatric Services said the initiative would help local families access early screening and support close to home.

“Sue was incredibly passionate and made an invaluable contribution to paediatric physiotherapy,” she said.

“She was a strong advocate for the importance of early infant hip screening and intervention, dedicating years of her life and work to improving health outcomes for babies and young children in regional areas and beyond.

“This program will help local families access timely screening and diagnosis close to home, providing reassurance and, where needed, early intervention at a critical stage of development.”

The Dr Sue Charlton AM Memorial Sub Fund currently holds approximately $68,000 and will continue to grow over time, creating a lasting source of support for initiatives that improve paediatric health outcomes for babies born in or connected to the Limestone Coast.

While infant hip screening is the first initiative supported by the fund, the broader purpose of the sub fund allows future investment in other programs that improve health outcomes for local children and families.

The program will be delivered through the new Stand Like Stone Foundation Community Charity Trust and represents the first initiative activated through the structure.

Chief executive officer Jason Wallace said the initiative demonstrated how community foundations were evolving.

“Through our Community Charity Trust, we can move beyond traditional grant-making and work alongside community partners to directly activate local solutions,” he said.

“It is particularly fitting that the first initiative delivered through this structure honours Sue's legacy while helping shape a new and innovative model of community impact for the future.”

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