‘Friends’ invest more than €250k in equipment for MGH
THE treasurer of a voluntary group set up to fund the purchase of potentially life-saving equipment for Mallow General Hospital (MGH) has revealed it has spent more than a quarter-of-amillion Euros on items over the past eight-years.
In his report to the AGM of the Friends of Mallow Hospital, Noel O’Connor said that the body had spent an average of €33,000 per annum since 2010 on equipment for the north Cork facility.
The report listed some of items supplied to the hospital through the group over the past eight years. These included two high-spec echocardiogram machines, equipment to facilitate laparoscopic (keyhole) surgery, a large investment in the dedicated MGH sleep laboratory over the past four years and an argo plasma coagulation machine allowing for the expansion of the endoscopy department.
Speaking to The Corkman Mr O’Connor said the equipment purchased through the fundraising efforts of the ‘Friends’ had made a huge contribution to the “exceptionally high” standard of care the hospital is able to offer to the local community.
“The Friends of Mallow Hospital was set up in the 1970’s by a group of like-minded people, often former MGH patients themselves, with the expressed aim of raising monies for essential, state-of-the-art equipment,” said Mr O’Connor.
He said that while cuts to health capital spending budgets had impacted on many hospitals, including MGH, the efforts of the Friends had ensured the facility was in a position to maintain, and in some cases even expand, many of its core services.
“In each of the past eight years the Friends of Mallow General Hospital has spent an average of €33,000 on vital equipment. By any standards, that is a magnificent achievement and a record that we are justifiably proud of,” said Mr O’Connor.
“The vision that inspired the establishment of the Friends is as relevant today as it was four decades ago. This considerable investment has been of enormous benefit to the services provided at the hospital, benefits that will continue to be felt well into the future,” he added.
Mr O’Connor was quick to point out that none of that would have been possible without the generosity of the people from the wider north Cork region who have donated to the groups various fundraising initiatives over the years.
He said parishes from Ballydesmond to Lismore and from Dromcollogher to Blarney have been hugely generous in their support, most notably through their church gate collections.
“The Friends committee is indebted to the many people who each year without fail organise the collections and other event. Deep gratitude is also due to the many individuals who contribute to these collections,” said Mr O’Connor.
“Without these good people, the Friends could not continue to give the support the nurses, doctors and staff at MGH need to maintain the excellence services they continue to provide,” he added.
The Friends meet on the last Tuesday of each month at the hospital and new members are always welcome.