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Funding by Medway League of Friends benefits patients

07 February 2024
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Young patients at Medway Maritime Hospital’s neonatal unit are benefiting from new life-saving equipment thanks to £25,751 funding from the Medway League of Friends.

Vital funds raised by generous donations and profits from the League’s hospital shop and café have allowed the hospital’s unit for sick and premature babies to purchase 25 new infant resuscitators.

Julie Douglas, Unit Manager and Senior Sister, Oliver Fisher Neonatal Unit said: “We are very grateful to the League of Friends for their help in funding the new Neopuff resuscitators for our intensive care unit and special care nursery.

“This new equipment helps to increase assurance of the safety of the babies and ensure that our cot-side resuscitation system is compatible with the equipment used in the delivery suite.”

In total the Friends have donated £81,661 to the hospital in the last 12 months, which also includes £16,082 for a new cooling unit for critically unwell patients in the hospital’s Intensive Care Unit. This cooling machine helps to restore normal brain function for critically unwell patients.

Two members of the Urogynaecology Team with one of the donated bladder scanners

Bladder Scanners

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A member of the Cardiorespiratory Teams with one of the donated FeNo devices

Cardiorespiratory Equipment

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Two Neonatal Intensive Care Unit nurses stand by a donated NeoPuff resuscitator

Neonatal Intensive Care Resuscitators

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Thanking the Friends, Lorraine Older, Ambulatory Gynaecology Matron said: “Having our new bladder scanner for the clinic has resulted in a more dignified experience for patients when attending for treatment.”

The Medway League of Friends has been supporting Medway Maritime Hospital since soon after it was taken over by the NHS, more than 60 years ago, in 1961. The League is a registered charity and is a volunteer-led group who dedicate their time to raising vital funds for local health services.

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Dr Jaroslaw Beta, who is known to colleagues and service users as Jarek, holds baby Jarek who is named after him. Mum Lauren Davies is pictured next to them.

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