Mountain to Melbourne: Emma Rose Parsons on Running for Local Kids’ Care

In this episode of The Glitter Effect, host Kate welcomes Emma Rose Parsons—a passionate psychologist, mum, and the powerhouse behind Mountain to Melbourne, a grassroots fundraising movement bringing critical support to local children’s hospitals in Victoria. Emma Rose combines her professional insight into childhood anxiety with her personal experience as a mother to champion better care for kids—especially neurodivergent children—who often face overwhelming hospital environments. Shocked to discover that major fundraising often bypasses local hospitals, she decided to do something bold: run over 100km in just 12 hours, from Healesville Hospital to Eastland Town Square, passing through key Eastern Health sites along the way. Her mission? To raise vital funds for facilities that serve over 36,000 children each year—ensuring they have the tools, resources, and environments needed to ease anxiety and deliver better care. This episode is a powerful story of community-driven change, personal courage, and how one determined woman is reminding us that local kids deserve world-class care too. Mountain to Melbourne website: https://eastland.qicre.com/articles/community/mountain-to-melbourne