COFFS Harbour Health Campus paediatric patients and families will benefit from the generosity of locals Rob and Margaret Chapman who donated important medical equipment to the department at the end of October.

The couple has a long history of funding the purchase of prioritised hospital equipment over recent years.

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Their $12,000 donation includes a recliner, two syringe drivers and a blanket warmer for the Paediatric Unit.

Nurse Unit Manager Lisa Hammond said the equipment would vastly improve the hospital experience for children, and their parents.

“The syringe drivers are really important, because they help us to navigate the small veins of children and deliver very precise, small amounts of medication to our youngest patients, which is critical,” Ms Hammond said.

“It might be intravenous fluids or other medications, but the drivers are a very welcome piece of equipment when it comes to children and babies.”

The Chapmans also donated a recliner chair, which will enable worried parents to stay bedside with their child or baby, particularly at night, and a blanket warmer, which will be particularly comforting for children who need to be kept warm before or after a procedure.

“Our focus is always our patients, so when members of the community offer to help, it is received with an enormous amount of gratitude,” Ms Hammond said.

“We can’t thank Rob and Margaret enough for what they have done for our young patients.”

Mr Chapman said he and Margaret were pleased to be able to help the Paediatric Unit.

In the past they have donated to the Medical Unit, Surgical Unit and Emergency Department.

“We donate to the hospital because we want to help as many people as possible of all ages and cultures,” Mr Chapman said.

“Our health service simply cannot be expected to provide everything.”

The Local Health District’s Corporate Relations Coordinator, Sharon Fuller, works with donors in deciding what equipment to donate and to what department.

“We value the relationships developed between our hospitals and our donors, and we liaise with the nominated hospital to find out the areas of most need,” Sharon told News Of The Area.

After identifying several priorities, Sharon then goes back to the donor to give them the opportunity to consider which piece, or pieces, of equipment they might like to donate.

In this case, the Chapmans wanted to support the Paediatric Unit at Coffs Harbour Health Campus, and so the Nurse Unit Manager was asked to identify what equipment she needed to improve the treatment and care of her patients.

“The Chapmans generously agreed to fund all four items prioritised,” said Sharon.

By Andrea FERRARI