A great collaborative community effort has resulted in a crucial equipment upgrade for Stawell Regional Health.
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Earlier this year, Stawell Regional Health Hospital Auxiliary set the goal of raising enough money to buy a new oncology fridge for the Stawell Regional Health Oncology Unit.
“We had a small bar fridge originally when the unit was built, which was too small as our oncology business is unfortunately growing,” Stawell Regional Health pharmacist in charge Zoe Rule said.
“The nursing staff would spend a lot of time with it and due to its size we would have to stack things inside which was not ideal.”
The auxiliary ran a fundraising event, holding an inaugural tour of four homesteads in the region to raise funds for a new fridge.
“We really wanted to purchase that fridge, but like all medical equipment it was expensive,” hospital auxiliary president Merrilyne Middleton said.
“I was speaking to Peter Carey from Carey Covers and he said, ‘I know how you can raise the money’.
“He gave us the idea of the tour. He then went on to help us with planning, negotiating donations and helped to manage the day. We can’t thank him enough,”
The new fridge is significantly larger, allowing more space for chemotherapy and immunotherapy products.
“The new fridge with a glass door means the nursing staff will have a better view of what is in there and we won’t be stacking bags anymore,” she said.
“It fits a lot more nicely and just makes life so much easier.”
Stawell Regional Health chief executive Libby Fifis said she is very appreciative of the funds that were raised.
“The auxiliary is a committed group of people who work tirelessly to raise money, we are grateful to them and to everyone who assisted and donated time and items,” she said.
“We now have a full sized fridge that is manufactured specifically for oncology units.”
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