Kids' ward to benefit from $84k donation

Hawke's Bay kids who need hospital and follow-up medical treatment are $84,000 better off, thanks to the generous donation from the Countdown Kids Hospital Appeal this year.

The national appeal, which has run for three months, raised a staggering $1.2 million, of which $84,211 was presented to Hawke's Bay Hospital on Thursday.

The money donated will go towards a variety of medical equipment, including paediatric cardiac monitors and fetal heart beat monitors.

The big ticket items will be two cardiac monitors for the Special Care Baby Unit and Children's Ward.

These monitors measure oxygenation and cardiac rates and provide invaluable assistance to clinicians helping them decide the best method of resuscitation which improves the outcomes for these patients.

Clinical director Philip Moore said the donation made a very real difference to children's health in Hawke's Bay.

"This is the community working for the community - the hospital is a very important part of the community and this fundraising emphasises the community's great stake in it," he said.

Richard Manaton general manager strategic and corporate affairs Progressive Enterprises said the appeal had been very successful this year with more marketing support as well as some high profile events such as a bike ride from New Plymouth to Hastings which attracted a lot of publicity to the appeal.

Hawke's Bay has received $320,285 from the Countdown Kids Hospital appeal over the past five years it has been a recipient from the appeal.

Countdown Carlyle, Napier staff also donated a huge number of knitted items for babies in hospital and a number of toys for children in hospital.