Fruit helps mums and bubs

THE team in Ballarat Health Service’s maternity ward have a new piece of equipment thanks to the No. 23 Masonic Social Committee and the Freemasons Foundation.

A $10,000 i-STAT machine was recently funded by the Masons for the unit with money raised in part by the group’s annual fruit sale.

The portable medical device is used for blood gas analysis, with results available in two minutes, allowing treatment decisions for newborns to be made quickly.

BHS’ Maternity Unit Appeal had a goal of raising $80,000 for new equipment and that’s where No. 23 Masonic Social Committee stepped in.

As part of the annual fruit sale members collect boxes of produce from growers in Shepperton, drive it back to Ballarat in a truck donated by Hewitt & Whitty. They then pack and sell the fruit in the district. Since 1999 the project has raised over $60,000 that’s been donated to groups across the region.