Williamstown Hospital's Open Day on Sunday 15th August saw around 1,000 people take up the opportunity to gain an insight into the hospital's daily operations and to enjoy some family fun.

Tours of the new Wilson Renal Dialysis Unit were popular as was the chance to look through the Operating Theatre. Inspired by the Operating Theatre experience many children raced to the games & activities area where they dressed up in medical scrubs.

Three year old Jack said the dancing fruit people were his favourite. Year 12 students, volunteers from Williamstown's Bayside Secondary College, donned fruit costumes and handed out free fruit sponsored by Health Super. The students were a huge hit when they joined in a Zumba dance performance sponsored by Fernwood Fitness.

Six year old Imogen said the De-Bug stall was interesting "the De-Bug lady showed me I wasn't washing my hands properly and for long enough to make sure there's no germs on them, it was lots of fun."

A BBQ and scones cooked by members of Williamstown's Lions Club, face painting and health checks performed by Hospital staff were also extremely popular.

The day was organised around the opening of the Wilson Renal Dialysis Unit and saw the unveiling of the Donor Board, thanking the many members of the local community who contributed to the building of the unit. Comedian Shaun Micallef was on hand to lend some comedic relief and congratulated the primary school aged winners of an artwork competition themed ' this makes me smile.' The winning artworks have been framed and will now brighten up the walls of the Wilson Renal Dialysis Unit.

The Unit is named after the late Robert 'Pinto' Wilson who passed away on 30 May 2000. He left a very generous bequest of $453,000 to Williamstown Hospital and was the catalyst for the project. Since his bequest an astonishing number of community groups, businesses, families and individuals contributed to the facility.

The Wilson Renal Dialysis Unit provides Williamstown Hospital with nine additional treatment spaces in a larger and more comfortable facility. This means that an additional 36 people a week can now receive vital dialysis treatment closer to home.