DONATIONS to the Bendigo Health Christmas Appeal this year will be used to help children needing rehabilitation services get the best start possible to their lives.<\/p>\n
Money raised is set to go towards specialist equipment for Bendigo Health\u2019s new paediatric rehabilitation centre, helping children such as one-year-old Mackenzie Rowe.<\/p>\n
Mackenzie\u2019s mother, Melita Fox, said her daughter had a rough start to life, which included being taken to the Royal Women\u2019s hospital just hours after birth.<\/p>\n
About four months later Mackenzie was diagnosed with a high risk of cerebral palsy and entered a difficult stage of telehealth therapies during the first wave of COVID-19 restrictions and lockdowns.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe got over that hurdle and ever since we\u2019ve been doing regular visits with the Victorian Paediatric Rehabilitation Service team at Bendigo Health, her local paediatrician and the Noahs Ark team through NDIS,\u201d Ms Fox said.<\/p>\n
Mackenzie\u2019s rehabilitation has included physiotherapy, hydrotherapy and occupational therapy and Ms Fox said they\u2019d be \u201clost without\u201d the paediatric team.<\/p>\n
\u201cWithout the paediatric team Mackenzie wouldn\u2019t be where she is today,\u201d she said. \u201cShe\u2019s getting absolutely everything she need and the new facility is going to be phenomenal for her and her progress.\u201d<\/p>\n
Manager of Bendigo Health\u2019s fundraising and foundation Rachel Mason said the Christmas Appeal helps provide the equipment needed for treatment of kids like Mackenzie.<\/p>\n
\u201cAt any given time there\u2018s 100 or more children that are being treated by Bendigo Health rehabilitation services,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
\u201cTwo thirds of the children that receive rehabilitation here at Bendigo Health have cerebral palsy, which is a permanent condition with no known cure and they require regular rehabilitation sessions, almost from birth.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey can really come along with that sort of support in an amazing way. They can get into activities and also after accidents, they might need hydrotherapy and their goal might be getting back to riding a bike.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ms Mason said donations will allow the health service to \u201cfill out the edges\u201d of the new rehab centre, with the aim of building a \u201cmini-gym\u201d.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere\u2019s a lot of areas that still require specialist items,\u201d she said. \u201cThe mini-gym is something that\u2019s an addition, but it will be tailored to our paediatric kids that need to access tiny treadmills and things that are not provided as standard within the realm of government funding.\u201d<\/p>\n