Op shop donates $300,000 to hospital
Volunteers of the Drouin Auxiliary Opportunity Shop presented a $300,000 cheque to West Gippsland Healthcare Group - one of the largest single donations made by the Opp shop in its 69 year history.
The donation will be used to purchase 70 new medical equipment items to improve patient care across the hospital, community health, clinical education, aged care, district nursing and palliative care.
WGHG chief executive Dan Weeks and board chairman Christine Holland praised the 30 volunteers who give their time freely to support the hospital.
Mr Weeks said the donation would be a huge boost at a time when the hospital had recently opened a new short stay unit to support the emergency department and a third operating theatre.
“This donation will benefit people of all ages from birth right through to our aged care services and palliative care.”
Some of the equipment includes new beds for Cooinda Lodge and Andrews House age care residences, as well as new wheelchairs, a patient lifting machine and air mattresses for Cooinda.
“The operating theatres will receive an orthopaedic drill set, new scales and a lithoclast instrument used to break down kidney stones.”
“The maternity unit will receive new breast pumps and breast feeding chairs, while paediatrics will welcome a new bath with adjustable height for children.
Other equipment includes six bariatric dialysis chairs for the haemodialysis unit and defibrillators for the emergency department and surgical unit.
District nursing will receive a patient observation machine, Palliative Care pressure mattresses, while Allied and Community Health are pleased to purchase a new Uroflow machine to boost its Continence program.
Mr Weeks said the donation had also significantly boosted the learning and development Unit which provides training and professional development to all staff.
“Three patient simulators and a defribillator will be purchased to improve training for clinical staff to respond to a variety of emergency situations.”
Ms Holland, said the work of the volunteers in turning unwanted items into a $300,000 donation was an extraordinary effort.
“The volunteers are quiet achievers who work in teams six days a week to unpack, sort, iron, fold, price and sell in the shop with great pride.”
“Their support of over almost 70 years has generated in excess of $2million to our health service.”
Mrs Holland thanked the auxiliary committee president Kerry Nicholls, secretary Mary Aitken, treasurer Carol Mallows, vice president Joy Baker and all the hard working volunteers for their wonderful work.
“It is thanks to your tireless efforts that we are able to purchase much needed additional medical equipment from which our community will benefit,” Mrs Holland said.