Medical equipment provided

Rotary hands over defibrillators, oxygenator to Coastal Kindness, for Boknes, Bushman’s, Kenton

Coastal Kindness was grateful to receive a gift of four defibrillators and one oxygenator from the Rotary Club of Kenton-on-Sea last week.

Coastal Kindness is a voluntary group that was started during the Covid-19 lockdown in 2020 to take proactive steps to provide support in the community in anticipation of the spread of the virus.

They started with fundraising for home care packs and educational videos, and cover the area from Alexandria to Kasouga.

Handing over the equipment, Kenton Rotary president Eugene de Witt said the welcomed oxygenator had already been put to use in the community.

It removes carbon dioxide and adds oxygen to the blood that is pumped into the arterial system.

A defibrillator is a device that gives a high-energy electric shock to the heart of someone who is in cardiac arrest.

One of the defibrillators will be kept in Boknes, one in Bushman’s River, one at Kenton Garage and one at the offices of Dr Eleanor Galpin, who is the only GP in the area.

Robbie Cameron, one of the founders of Coastal Kindness, said: “Thank you Rotary, what an amazing gift.”

She thanked everyone who had contributed to the project, including the Kenton-on-Sea Ratepayers Association and the Periwinkle Trust.

“We’re committing some of the money to maintain the defibrillators in good working order, with pads and gel,” Cameron said.

She said Coastal Kindness would provide training to paramedics on how to use the equipment and also offer training to first aiders and first responders.

For their next project, Cameron said Coastal Kindness wanted to upgrade the clinics in the area.

She described the poor state of some of the clinics, one of which was a mere shed.

“The Marselle clinic is an absolute disgrace,” Cameron said.

De Witt said there was an ageing population in the area and people were still wary of Covid.

“But we’re getting to the end, I hope,” he said. De Witt also expressed pride in the Rotary Club and said it was able to retain membership and continue fundraising during a difficult time.

De Witt also praised the Kenton community for their continued generosity and support.