When Darryl needed it most, RBWH was there
For decades, Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital (RBWH) had been part of Darryl Rye’s family’s story.
His father came from Toowoomba for cancer treatment. His daughter trained as a nurse at the hospital. Five of his grandchildren were born there.
But until May 2024, he never imagined he would one day owe his own life to Australia’s largest hospital.
Darryl was setting off on a motorhome adventure to visit his daughter and grandchildren in Adelaide when something went wrong.
“I got as far as the Gold Coast, booked into the caravan park and did all the setting up. As I was hooking up the tap, I was having trouble with it, lost my balance and fell over. But I couldn’t get back up.”
By the time his family got him back to Brisbane, Darryl’s son knew something was seriously wrong.
By the time his family got him back to Brisbane, Darryl’s son knew something was seriously wrong.
Always there – for every Queenslander
Initially taken to another hospital, doctors there identified a bleed on his brain and arranged urgent transfer to RBWH.
“Late at night, on 31 May and into 1 June, they operated on me. They put burr holes in my skull and inserted a drain to remove blood from around my brain,” Darryl said.
“I think I recovered very well. Various people, including occupational therapists, came in to see me. They said they’d like to get me up and walk a couple of steps just to see how I went - I sort of took off into the distance. No trouble at all. “They tested my strength and I had all my strength back. It was almost unexplainable why I recovered so well. But it could have been a very different story.”
Over the following months, the bleeding returned twice and Darryl underwent two further operations.
Each time, RBWH was ready. Each time, he recovered at the Surgical Treatment and Rehabilitation Service (STARS).
“Then, in November 2024, they did a scan and said that, finally, everything was looking good. The bottom line is that I’ve been okay ever since. All that’s been left from the experience is that, if I rub my head, I can feel two big dents. “I’m just thankful that it happened when I was only a couple of hours away from RBWH. I could have been anywhere - New South Wales, Victoria or even South Australia.”
World-leading care, close to home
From the first moment, Darryl says, his care was ‘top notch’.
“All the staff were fantastic. From the people who pushed me around on trolleys and said, ‘Hang on, we’re going to go over a little bump,’ to the nurses, doctors and people in the operating theatre - they were all great.”
Darryl’s connection with RBWH spans generations. Generations of expert, compassionate care – care that brought him safely home to his children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
And that is why he chose to give back.
“The hospital has been part of my family’s story for many years, and now it has become part of my own story as well. That’s why I made a donation - I’m just thankful,” Darryl said.
“I’d say to anyone: if you find you’ve got a little bit of spare cash in your bank account and you want it to go where it’ll really make a difference, donate to the RBWH Foundation.”
