The HFA Awards Program recognises special service to the bleeding disorders community. At the Australian Bleeding Disorders conference, the following awards were presented on the evening of the dinner.
DR BILL MCWHIRTER
Dr McWhirter served as the haematologist for many years at Royal Children’s and Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital. He was instrumental in formalising the organisation that is today known as Haemophilia Foundation Queensland and encouraging patients to join. The patients he helped in his time in that role would be countless, not to mention the support he showed families and loved ones during often difficult times.
DR SIMON BROWN
We would like to formally recognise Dr Simon Brown for his exceptional long-term service to bleeding disorder patients and their families at the Queensland Children’s Hospital. As Director of Haemophilia at Queensland Children’s Hospital from 2007 to 2025, Dr Brown has been a dedicated and compassionate leader, guiding numerous families through some of the most challenging periods in haemophilia care – particularly when access to treatment products was more limited.
Dr Brown has also played a pivotal role in education and mentorship, supporting the development of both medical and nursing staff within the Haematology team. His commitment extended beyond the hospital, with ongoing support for HFQ and HFA initiatives that have strengthened the bleeding disorders community across Queensland and nationally.
Although he stepped back from clinical practice this year to focus on laboratory work, his legacy continues to shape the care and culture of the Haemophilia Treatment Centre.
LAUREN GREEN
Lauren has had a relationship with HFQ, HFA, and the bleeding disorders community since 1997.
In grade 2 she was fundraising at school to support her brother, who had been newly diagnosed. Lauren started as a member of the HFA youth committee from around 15 years of age and was also the HFQ youth board member from around 2008 and youth leader. She stepped away from the board around 2010 to focus on family commitments, though continued to volunteer and run events. In 2015 she rejoined the HFQ board and spent time as Secretary before taking on the HFQ Manager role in October 2022.
She has continued to demonstrate a life-long commitment to serving the bleeding disorders community both within Queensland and Australia-wide.
JOANNA MCCOSKER
Joanna is celebrating her 30th year of service as a nurse (and now Nurse Practitioner) with the Queensland Children’s Hospital (formerly Royal Children’s).
She has held the hands of many families as they navigated the scary times of a newly diagnosed child, first treatment, first bleed, the list goes on. She was instrumental in setting up the HTC model as it exists today and very passionate about girls and women not being labelled as ‘just a carrier’ and set up and ran carrier clinics. She goes above and beyond to assist in raising awareness of haemophilia in the broader community, as well as regularly attending HFQ and HFA events in her spare time.
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