For mum Kylie Storr, the handstand represented the progress her son had made since being diagnosed with epilepsy late last year.

Nathan has had 30 focal seizures over the course of a couple of months, which has affected his sight and right arm.

However, thanks to his recent treatment at the Royal Children’s Hospital in Melbourne, it’s been three weeks since his last seizure.

Ms Storr said the experience helped her family appreciate the value of the hospital behind the Good Friday Appeal.

“We’ve seen it on TV before and had friends and family that really needed the hospital, but it’s the first time we’ve had to use it,” she said.

This year’s Royal Children’s Hospital Good Friday Appeal raised more than $17.6 million and south-west communities again dug deep.

The South West Region Royal Children’s Hospital Auxiliary, which collects from Warrnambool intersections, raised $28,000. 

Auxiliary president Janine Sheen described this year’s collection as “brilliant”. 

Emergency services and volunteers touring the streets for donations also had plenty of success. Warrnambool Good Friday Hospital Appeal co-coordinator Ray Hammersley said the final count for its collections around the district was $43,157.85. Highlights included $3963 from Allansford, $2346 from Grassmere and $676 from Naringal.

In Warrnambool, $4945 was collected by the Warrnambool SES and $8201 collected by the CFA. 

Fund-raising totals for the south-west: