Rotarians Bob Cleland and Steve Towle measure up for an ambitious project to transform the newly opened Paediatric ED into a more child-friendly environment. With them is Emergency Department’s administration manager Rachel Hollis.

Rotary appeal for funds to help transform children’s ED

Sep 20, 2024

The Rotary clubs of Port Macquarie-Hastings are pushing ahead with an exciting community appeal to help transform the newly opened Paediatric Emergency Department (ED) at Port Macquarie Base Hospital into a more welcoming and comforting environment for children.

Located behind the hospital’s existing ED, the new space is in need of vibrant artwork that children can relate to, helping to distract them during medical procedures and alleviate stress.

Rotarian Bob Cleland, spokesperson for the project, announced that while some funding has already been secured, additional community support is crucial to fully realise the vision.

“A grant of $15,000 from the Rotary Australia Compassionate Grants program has been matched by club funds, but we still need further contributions from the community to complete the upgrade,” Mr Cleland said.

“We’ve been in to measure up, and there’s a lot of wall and ceiling space that needs attending to.”

The Rotary clubs are working closely with key medical staff, including Network Director of Emergency Medicine Dr Dawn Martin, Emergency Nurse Unit Manager Heidi Lees, and Clinical Nurse Unit Manager Scott Pomroy, to ensure the project meets the goals of creating a bright, colourful, and engaging space. The goal is to provide visual distractions to ease anxiety, making the experience less traumatic for young patients.

“We’re committed to making sure the artwork reduces stress for children during what can be a scary time,” said Mr Cleland.

“The more the community gets behind this project, the better the result will be for our youngest patients.”

Anyone wanting to help create a more comforting and healing environment for children in their time of need is encouraged to contact Rotarian Bob Cleland at 0438 761 978 or email Bobcle43@gmail.com for more information on how to contribute.

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