Thank you to hardworking volunteers

A celebration of the hard work and dedication of the volunteers of John Hunter and John Hunter Children’s Hospital will be held tomorrow at a special luncheon at West’s Leagues Club.

General Manager for the Greater Newcastle Acute Hospital Network Todd McEwan said the volunteer appreciation luncheon is an annual event held to acknowledge the invaluable contribution the volunteers make to our hospitals.

“Volunteers are an indispensable asset to our hospitals, providing the driving force behind much needed fundraising. The volunteers in our hospitals have fundraised almost $5 million since 1991 which has allowed us to purchase equipment to assist us in providing quality care for our patients,” Mr McEwan said.

“We have a number of volunteer organisations who work tirelessly to fundraise for the hospital and this year have generously donated a range of equipment including replacement beds for the Intensive Care Unit and new ECG machines.

“As well as their financial contribution our volunteers are also instrumental in creating a positive atmosphere in the hospital and play a large role in ensuring that patients and their families are well cared for.

“Our volunteers try to make the patient’s stay as positive as possible by providing comforting services whether it be through a visit from one of the Delta Dogs, an inspirational artwork hung in the hospital corridors or the loan of a book through the Children’s Hospital’s Book Nook, “ he said.

“Some of the other services our volunteers provide include booking on-site accommodation for relatives, delivering newspapers and magazines to patients, and making our hospitals a more welcoming place by providing entertainment for our wards.

“Each of these activities contributes to making the hospital environment more welcoming and our patients’ stay in hospital more enjoyable,” Mr McEwan said.

Contact: Sharna McCarthy

Phone: 02 4921 4501