Maddox's Helping Hand Foundation

Maddox’s Helping Hand Foundation is an Australian registered charity established in 2020 after Maddox Porter suffered a severe hand injury in a lawn mower accident and received emergency treatment at Queensland Children’s Hospital. Inspired by the surgeons, nurses and hand therapists who cared for him, his family created the foundation to help address gaps in funding for innovative surgical research and complex cases that public hospitals may not have the resources to support.

Working alongside Dr Michael Wagels and his team, the foundation helps patients access specialised skills and technology, particularly children across Queensland. It raises funds through community events and donations, with more than $900,000 raised since its first fundraising event in 2021. Recent support has included purchasing 3D printing equipment to enhance treatment capabilities and contributing to a clinical trial with Queensland Children’s Hospital focused on temporal hollowing after cranial vault remodelling surgery. The foundation has also begun funding the first stage of the Hands-on Surgical Training program for cardiac surgeons.