Huddersfield Daily Examiner

Donations put poorly tots in the driving seat

CHILDREN IN HOSPITAL CAN USE NEW MINI CARS

- By NICK LAVIGUEUR nick@examiner.co.uk @grecian9

POORLY tots at two hospitals can now take a sporty ride to their treatment room.

The youngsters can race to radiology or surgery thanks to donations of children’s motorised cars.

Clinicians hope the fun drive along hospital corridors will take away the anxiety that could come if they were wheeled along in bed.

Children needing vital radiology tests at Calderdale and Huddersfie­ld NHS Foundation Trust (CHFT) will

Left: The mini Tesla donated to Pinderfiel­ds hospital, with hospital play specialist­s Katie Field and Karen Silkstone, with Stuart Browning and Matt England, fundraisin­g lead of the MY Hospitals Charity. Main picture: The ride-on Lamborghin­i donated by Manrochem be able to hop in a yellow Lamborghin­i, thanks to local firm Manrochem, who also donated £1,000.

Over at Pinderfiel­ds in Wakefield, a mini Tesla has been gifted to help youngsters enjoy a ride before they have their operation.

A spokespers­on for Manrochem said: “Radiologic­al examinatio­ns are now a vital part of diagnosing illnesses.

“Scans such as MRIs can be a claustroph­obic, frightenin­g experience and traumatic for adults, let alone children.

“So when Dr Nandish mentioned about the possible use of a toy car to take children from wards to the imaging department to reduce their anxiety, we decided that we as a local business could make it possible, and also supplement it with a cash donation for other improvemen­ts within the department.

“This small donation is a way of expressing our gratitude for the wonderful work done by the NHS team and hope that it will make a positive difference to the overall experience for the children and their families, who undergo investigat­ions at the imaging department.”

Consultant radiologis­t at CHFT, Dr Shalini Nandish, said: “The battery-operated Lamborghin­i car is a super addition to our department so I’d to thank Manrochem Ltd for this generous donation.

“This money will go towards improvemen­t of our current services, to make a child friendly waiting area, and invest in equipment to ease anxiety for our little patients and their families.”

Over in Wakefield, dad of two Stuart Browning presented the mini Tesla to staff.

He said: “Our family experience­d brilliant care at Pinderfiel­ds when my son broke his arm.

“We hope the car brings lots of enjoyment and smiles to the children on the ward.”

Kirsty Jowett, fundraisin­g manager, added: “Our young patients will be so excited to drive from the ward to the theatre - it will really help to take their mind off what can be a very scary and daunting time.”

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