The Women's and Children's Hospital's gastroenterology department will receive a massive donation of $42,000 after the Baker family generously donated the proceeds of one of the star lots at their annual Simmental bull sale at Furner, SA.
It was stud principals, Tom and Lizzy Baker's way of giving back to the Adelaide hospital for the outstanding care their young son, Harry, received when he was diagnosed with Crohns disease (an auto immune disease of the bowel) in May 2020.
He spent 22 nights in hospital at the time and while back to good health still has regular appointments at the hospital.
"We have been really lucky to have a fantastic specialist and the outstanding service and monitoring from the hospital has helped us get through it all," Mrs Baker said.
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She says the money will enable the department- which helps more than 4000 infants, children and adolescents each year- purchase more equipment for laboratory testing and also buy some lap tops to help educate families with child having gut or bowel issues about how to manage their conditions.
"I think it will be quite a bit more than they are expecting so it will be a nice surprise, some of the money may go to things across the Women's and Children's Hospital," she said.
"We wanted to put up a good bull and donate a good amount to them but we didn't expect it would go to quite that length."
The price for lot 16, Woonallee Raffa, was only eclipsed by the sale topper in lot 2, Woonallee Revolution, which made $55,000 selling to Mubarn Simmentals, Pinjarra, WA.
Both these bulls were among the first sons offered in Australia by New Zealand bred sire, Kerrah E307.
Buyer of the charity lot, John Leek, Mt Ararat Simmentals, Nar Nar Goon, Vic, said the good cause enticed him to have a couple of extra bids but he believes the homozygous polled, dark red bull will also have a great impact on his herd.
"There is so much upside," Mr Leek said.
"I have known Harry since he was a baby and to think that Tom and Lizzy put all that money towards the children's hospital, all I am doing is paying for a bloody fantastic bull."
Mt Ararat also bought the $18,000 top priced heifer, Woonallee Charo S272, a black heifer that was only 10 months old.
It is the third year in a row that the Baker family has generously supported causes close to their heart, also previously donating lots to the Royal Flying Doctor Service and the Naked Farmer, which raises funds and awareness for rural mental health.
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