The Bundaberg Royal Flying Doctor Service base this week marked 20 years of serving the region and has received a welcome surprise which will increase patient comfort in-flight.
Marking its birthday on Friday 4 March, the surprise came in the form of a donation from Bull Financial Group.
The funds, equating to more than $5500, will allow the Bundaberg RFDS to purchase mattress gel overlays which will be used on stretchers in the aircraft to provide a more comfortable trip for patients.
The gel overlays are placed on mattresses and are a pressure-relieving device and vibration absorber.
Nurse Manager for RFDS Bundaberg Robyn Langton said the donation from Bull Financial was greatly appreciated and would greatly benefit patients.
“This very generous donation that we are receiving from Bull Financial is going towards a gel overlay which is a high-level mattress protector that go on the mattress in the aircraft,” Robyn said.
“These gel overlays will allow our patients to be a little bit more comfortable as it helps them to stop developing pressure sores which in the frail and elderly can be debilitating and painful.
“We currently don’t have any of these in Bundaberg so it is a very welcome addition for our patients as we are a very busy base and we do see a lot more of the elderly clients back and forth from Brisbane and from out west into the region as well.
“It is great to continue to see the support from our local community as we celebrate 20 years of transporting patients around the region.”
RFDS has a special place in the hearts of Bull financial Group directors Leanne and Chris Bull, with the duo explaining that when the opportunity arose to donate to a charity, RFDS was the first that came to mind.
“Luckily, we are part of an organisation which is the Million Dollar Round Table, the premier organisation for financial planners across the world,” Leanne said.
“Through this, we were given an opportunity to nominate a charity we would like to give a grant to and I immediately thought of the RFDS.
“The RFDS provide such an important service and when you are in a situation with an ill family member, it is such a big relief when they can be transported to where they need to be.”
Leanne said RFDS had helped her family in many ways, and she wanted to support the organisation in the continuation of their fantastic work within the region so other families could also benefit.
“When Chris’ mother passed, we came out here to donate a number of her crocheted blankets that she had made and we were shown around the facilities and were very impressed, I remember thinking we should be doing more for this organisation,” Leanne said.
“The RFDS has been there for us when we have had family members who have needed to go to Brisbane for medical reasons, and this service has made our lives a lot easier being able to transport them down there.”
You can find out more about the Royal Flying Doctors Service here.
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