Babies and children at Western Sydney hospitals are benefiting from the kindness and charity of Kidswest.
From babies in their very first days of life at Auburn Hospital to toddlers and children at Mount Druitt, it’s our youngest who benefit the most from the longstanding relationship between the hospitals and the charity.
The Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) unit at Auburn Hospital has recently been gifted a new cardiorespiratory monitor.
Babies who show signs of respiratory distress soon after birth will benefit from the machine, allowing for closer monitoring to enhance care.
Clinical Midwifery Educator at Auburn Hospital Francesca Cruz says the monitor is invaluable.
“What it’ll do is provide closer and more detailed monitoring of a baby that’s needing cardiorespiratory support,” Francesca said.
“For example, with use of bubble CPAP, if a baby is on caffeine, this will provide us a more accurate heart rate, breathing, respiratory rate pattern, as well as blood pressure, any other specific observations that are needed for those processes,” Francesca said.
A few suburbs away at Mount Druitt Hospital’s paediatric outpatients, young patients can now play with an aeroplane wall game.
The charity donated the aeroplane activity set, children’s play table and chairs, new comfortable waiting room chairs, three iPads to be used as distraction for children and to collect patient feedback as well as a specialised medical paediatric bed for the clinic.
Two-year old Aubree’s mother Jazmin was pleased that the aeroplane activity was available for her daughter to interact with.
“It’s great because it’s kept her occupied while we wait for her appointment,” Jazmin said.
Children’s curious minds are ignited, and auditory senses stimulated while waiting for their appointment.
“Aubree was nervous when we got here but seeing there’s something to play with has kept her mind busy,” Jazmin said.
Mount Druitt Hospital Nursing Unit Manager Children’s Ward Rebecca Borg is thankful for the support from KidsWest and the local communities for enhancing our services and healthcare settings.
“We are so grateful for KidsWest support to create a more supportive, comfortable and well-equipped environment to deliver quality care to our patients”.
KidsWest CEO Trevor Oldfield has supported paediatric services across BMDH for more than 30 years and has no plans to change this.
“The population growth around Mount Druitt and Blacktown is huge so we are delighted to continue the ongoing partnership with the hospitals by providing support in whatever way we can,” Trevor said.
“A huge thankyou to Club Blacktown for their support in allowing KidsWest to run Cash Housie raising additional funds for our local area,” Trevor said.
“This year KidsWest aims to donate items to the value of $50k for Mount Druitt Hospital paediatric services and $60k for Blacktown paediatric services,” Trevor said.