MAITLAND HOSPITAL PATIENTS BENEFIT FROM $38,000 DONATION
It will be a double celebration at The Maitland Hospital this week with the Dialysis Unit celebrating a generous donation of almost $38,000 from Lions clubs – and the unit’s 10th anniversary.
Dialysis patients have benefited from the major donation with the purchase of seven new electric treatment chairs for the unit, which provides treatment for 41 patients three times a week.
The chairs will be formally handed over at a thank you morning tea on Tuesday, 8 December 2009.
Nurse Unit Manager Patrice Dobbs said the specially designed chairs offered improved comfort and independence for patients.
This is a very generous donation from Lions and we really appreciate their support for the unit and our patients,” Ms Dobbs said. “It is also a great birthday present.
This has given us the opportunity to update the remainder of our treatment chairs all at once.”
The new chairs are able to be more easily adjusted for height and seating or reclining positions, are easier to manoeuvre and operate, and have a range of additional safety and care features.
In July, local Lions clubs also donated some of the proceeds of Maitland’s annual Ball in the Mall fundraiser to the unit to purchase a special bariatric weigh chair.
The latest donation is another example of the Lions’ community involvement and generous spirit of giving to others.
Zone 9 Lions chairwoman Rosalea Sellers said the donation was a combined effort.
The donation of these chairs has been made possible by generosity of the Lions Clubs of Branxton, East Maitland, Kurri Kurri, Maitland & Rutherford and two Lioness Clubs, East Maitland/Beresfield and Rutherford.
The Clubs were assisted by two Lions Foundations The Australian Lions Foundation and The Lions NSW/ACT Save Sight & Healthcare Foundation,” Mrs Sellers said.
We are very pleased that we have been able to again support The Maitland Hospital and have helped people in our local area who really need our assistance.”
Maitland Dialysis Unit opened on 3 December 1989 and initially operated three days a week. It now operates 10 dialysis chairs with two treatment sessions each day, providing treatment to 20 patients a day, six days a week.
A 10th anniversary lunch is being held on 10 January 2010 and all current and former staff, patients and their families and carers, and volunteers are invited to attend.
