Countdown Staff Visit Waikids Services
Countdown staff visited Waikato Hospital last week to see what their hard fundraising efforts had bought in the latest
funding round of the Countdown Kids Hospital Appeal.
In the six years that the appeal has been running, Waikato Hospital’s Neonatal Intensive Care Unit has received the
majority of the funding – and this year is no exception.
However, this round Waikato District Health Board’s Mothercraft unit was also a worthy recipient with $4633 of the total
$122,088 raised being spent on three new prams.
The prams replaced the existing 1970s buggies used by the unit (one of which was gifted to the Hamilton Operatic
Society), and are used to get babies staying at Mothercraft out in the fresh air and sunshine.
In addition to the prams, the rest of the money raised was spent on the following:
· Two hand held pulse oximeters $2790
· 1 SCEA baby scales $670
· Dexcom G4 Receiver, Transmitter and Sensor Park $2,134.79
· 4 x Neofeed Syringe Drivers $9,980.00
· From left: Countdown representative Cindy Wilson, paediatric unit manager Lorraine Reid, Progressive Enterprise
representatives Cheryl Read and Ruth Kripner, nurse manager Janet Bland and charge nurse manager Mothercraft Wendy
Diamond-Hill.
2 x large recliner chairs $4,194.00
· 2 x Smart Monitors 2PS $12,980.00
· SenTec Digital Monitoring System $22,995.00
· 19 x tiltaway beds $56,382.50
Countdown staff were also able to visit the Waikids (Waikato DHB’s child and youth health service) surgical ward to see
the warming cabinet that was purchased with last year’s funds but wasn’t available to view the last time they came.
Waikids unit manager Lorraine Reid said every year the DHB is so surprised and grateful for the effort that Countdown
staff put into raising money for Waikids.
“The fundraising efforts make an astounding difference for children and families on the receiving end of the equipment.
We can’t express our gratitude enough,” she said.
A range of events occurred in the name of Countdown Kids Hospital Appeal in the Waikato. Sausage sizzles, car washes,
raffle tickets, quiz nights, calendars, a golf tournament and ‘donate a dollar drives’ saw the money roll in from
generous community members.
The Countdown Kids Hospital Appeal ran from 5 August to 27 October 2013. It was previously known as the Fresh Future
Children’s Hospital Appeal, and has raised more than $5.7 million for 10 children’s areas throughout New Zealand.
More than $700,000 of that has gone to Waikato Hospital.
This year, hundreds of local events took place across the country, culminating in a record $1.22 million raised
nationwide.
ENDS