Marathon funds for paediatric mannequin

A MEDICAL team has shown how funds raised through the Ballarat Marathon will be put to good use in buying medical training equipment.

Donations made on Wednesday 15 April would be matched dollar-for-dollar by a donor in a campaign to help improve emergency care for children across the region.

During a demonstration at Ballarat Base Hospital on Monday this week, a nurse checked her infant patient with care and kindness. Soon, bells blared, screens flashed and the baby was surrounded by a doctor and nurses.

Their language and efforts remained clear and effective. The child stabilised.

Despite the fact this demonstration patient was a mannequin, the team’s efforts were met with applause from the watching audience.

As headline charity partner for the Ballarat Marathon, Grampians Health via the Ballarat Health Services Foundation will use money raised from the event to purchase a primary aged, paediatric training mannequin for the hospital’s emergency department.

Anthony Cribbes knew how critical such equipment and training was.

The race ambassador’s daughter Tallulah was brought to the hospital at two weeks old with an undiagnosed heart condition.

“Her heart rate was at 270 beats per minute, and she was going into a full-body shutdown,” he said.

“The team here worked rapidly, very, very fast, and did absolutely everything that they needed to do and were just so incredible, and definitely saved her life in those moments when she was here.”

He said Tallulah, now 15 months old, was on medication for Supraventricular tachycardia (SVT), and “there’s absolutely nothing holding her back”.

For the endurance trail runner, tackling this year’s marathon was personal.

“When you’re in that situation, you never think you’ll need it,” he said about emergency care. “But you’re so glad that it’s there when you do.”

Kirsty McLean, the nurse unit manager in the hospital’s emergency department, said Monday’s simulation was realistic to everyday situations medical teams faced.

“That is exactly how we work in ED and being able to simulate that, it gives our staff confidence that they know what to do when that situation presents in real time and for our community they can rest assured that we’re obviously well trained, well versed in this situation,” she said.

“That’s what we train for and we want to provide that best care to our patients every day of the week.”

Marathon race director Adam McNicol said: “I really appreciate the insight to come in and see how the fundraising dollars raised as part of the marathon relationship is going to help the hospital.”

Donations can still be made at ballaratmarathon26.grassrootz.com/bhsf.