EVERY coffee, tea and sandwich prepared at Frankston Hospital’s Pink Ladies’ kiosk raises money for life-saving equipment.
It may not sound much, but these fundraising efforts by the small group of volunteers wearing pink have equipped the largest hybrid surgical theatre in Victoria with the latest digital equipment.
The Pink Ladies have donated more than $400,000 towards a new digital subtraction angiography [DSA] machine for the new hybrid vascular theatre, which opened last week.
Peninsula Health surgeon Wai-Leng Chue, who heads the vascular surgery unit, gave Pink Ladies president Pauline Ellerby and fellow pinkies a sneak peek at the new machine, Thursday. “The DSA technology enables our team to look closely at patient’s veins so we can identify and treat life and limb threatening conditions more safely,” he said.
“The support of the Pink Ladies and the wider community helps to deliver the services needed for the future.
“Vascular disease affects one-in-five Australians, and is likely to increase with our ageing population and a rise in chronic health issues.”
Ms Ellerby said the combined efforts of volunteers, fundraisers, staff and patients will help Frankston Hospital continue to grow. “All 81 of us joined the Pinkies to make a difference to patients and staff at Frankston Hospital,” she said.
“Serving tea, coffee and tasty treats, flower arranging and newspaper delivery helps make their lives a little bit brighter.”
The surgical theatre is the final stage in the $81 million redevelopment of Frankston Hospital. It includes a new emergency department, new wards and a purpose-built outpatients’ area which opened last year.
