D O N O R A N D S U P P O R T E R N E W S L E T T E R
Thank youspring 2015
Forget-Me-Not Fellowship to recognise gifts in Wills“Leaving a gift in your Will to a cause you care about is one of the most visionary and generous things a person can do in their lifetime,” says Anne Gribbin, Director of the Eastern Health Foundation.
“That’s why we have established the Forget-Me-Not Fellowship – to recognise everyone who has included a gift in their Will to Eastern Health or one of its services, while they are still with us and we can thank them in person.”
“Thank you,” says Anne Gribbin, “to every single person who is far-sighted and kind enough to include a gift in their Will.”
“It’s an incredibly special and personal way to say thank you, and a way to make a positive impact, even after you have gone. I am overwhelmed by people’s generosity.”
Every year the Eastern Health Foundation receives notification of gifts made in Wills.
Some of them are from Wills made decades earlier.
“I would love the opportunity to recognise and thank people in their lifetimes for their contribution.”
“It doesn’t matter how large or small the gift is. Every gift is important and greatly valued.”
Channel 9 newsreader Peter Hitchener is proud to be the Patron of the Forget-Me-Not Fellowship, founded to recognise and thank people who have included gifts to Eastern Health in their Wills.
The Forget-Me-Not Fellowship is being formally launched at a luncheon on 18 November, by Peter Hitchener, Channel 9 newsreader and Patron of the Foundation.
Please indicate on the reply form below if you would care to receive our booklet “A Lasting Gift”, a simple and practical guide to including a gift to Eastern Health in your Will, or if you would care for an invitation to the launch.
Give inm emoryWant to remember or celebrate someone in a meaningful way?You can now give in memory or celebration, or quickly organise a fundraising event of your choice using the Foundation’s online giving platform.
Make a gift, or create your own free personalised supporter page. Just share the link with your friends, family and colleagues who can make a secure online donation to your event or activity, and leave you with a message of encouragement.
Just go to easternhealthfoundation.org.au and click ‘Donate’ or ‘Start fundraising’. It’s quick and it’s easy.
Need help? Contact the friendly staff at Eastern Health Foundation on (03) 9895 4608 or [email protected].
cont
ents2 $149,000 for
Box Hill Hospital
2 “I am grateful to be among you”
2 It was lovely to meet you
3 Children benefit most from your gifts
3 Thank you to the Eastern Health Auxiliary members
4 Forget-Me-Not Fellowship
You’re helping to mend broken heartsA wonderfully generous $117,649 has been kindly given by donors to help specialists like Professor Gishel New more quickly and safely replace heart pacemakers and correct the rhythms of hearts that simply won’t beat consistently on their own.
If you were one of those who gave to the special ‘Broken hearts’ appeal – thank you.
Your gift means that patients like Bryan can live a full life and continue his dream of nursing in remote Aboriginal communities.
Bryan discovered after a routine check up that one of the chambers of his heart was not pumping properly.
That weakness put him at severe risk of a heart attack and death. But implanting a tiny heart defribillator (a tiny battery powered pump) keeps his heart beating regularly.
Already it has saved his life – 12 times – by stabilizing his heart when it beats out of control.
Every few years he has to have the battery changed. There is always a risk that the process will damage the pacemaker or defribillator, or the tiny wires leading to the batteries.
If that happens, the device has to be replaced using open heart surgery, which is expensive and risky.
But the new and innovative piece of equipment called a PlasmaBlade, that you and donors like you have helped to buy, reduces the risk of damaging the wires, as well as reducing blood loss and improving healing.
The additional catheter ablation equipment your gifts have helped to fund – which can cost around $1500 per patient – means patients can more quickly have treatment that can cure an abnormal heartbeat.
Thank you for your generosity.
I’d like to make my gift by n cheque/money order, made out to Eastern Health Foundation
n MasterCard n Visa n Diners n Amex Exp nn-nn
nnnn nnnn nnnn nnnnName on Card
Signature
My details Mr/Mrs/Ms/Miss/Dr/Rev:
First Name:
Last Name:
Address:
Suburb Postcode
Please tick here if you do NOT want to receive newsletter, updates or other communications from Eastern Health Foundation.
Yes, I’d like to help. I’ll give: $30 $50 $100 $
Donate online at www.easternhealth.org.au/donate
% Donate by phone at 03 9895 4608 Donate postage free to Reply Paid 86164 BOX HILL VIC 3128
Eastern Health Foundation PO Box 94 Box Hill VIC 3128 Tel 03 9895 4608 Email [email protected]
ABN 68 223 819 017
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Thanks to you, next time Bryan, pictured here with one of his patients, has to face having the battery on his pacemaker changed, the delicate procedure will be faster and safer and will heal more quickly.
n I have included a gift to the Eastern Health Foundation in my will.
Please n do n don’t send me an invitation to the launch with Peter Hitchener on 18 November
n I’d be pleased to receive more information about including a gift in my will.
You’re giving cardiac patients years of extra life
“I cannot thank donors enough,” says Professor Gishel New, Director of Cardiology at Eastern Health.“This equipment can add years of life to people with particular heart problems.”“Having the very best available equipment means, thanks to you, that we can ensure patients get leading edge care, utilising the latest technology, to keep them safe and healing more quickly.”
“Thousands of cardiac patients will have better treatment as a result.”
Professor Gishel New in the Cardiac Catheterisation Lab at Box Hill Hospital, pictured here with some of the equipment used to monitor heart function and procedures.
Thank you
Donations of $2 and over are tax deductible
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“I am grateful to be among you” Cancer survivor Mirko Mujica was deeply grateful to turn 39 this past January.
Three years ago Mirko was told he had cancer – for the third time.
Back then his youngest child Chelsea was only one year old. He was worried that if he
didn’t make it through this third round of cancer, she wouldn’t be old enough to remember him.
But now, thankfully, Mirko has come through and is so far fit and well. His oldest child Sophie is now at school.
“On the evening of my birthday this year,” Mirko said, “My two girls sang happy birthday to me. I was the happiest man in the world.”
“If I went now, I would go knowing I have experienced the greatest love of all; the immeasurable love in their eyes.”
“Why,” he went on, “Am I so glad to be 39? Why not aim for 40?”
“Because in life, you need only take what you need and nothing more.”
“As another year ticks over I am grateful to be among you.”
Thank you to all those who, after reading Mirko’s story, made a gift to Eastern Health to help fund cancer research trials.
It was lovely to meet you One of the greatest pleasures of my job is getting to meet people like you.
If you were one of the people who attended recent donor update functions, thank you.
It was a privilege to meet you in person and to spend time hearing your views on Eastern Health’s services and fundraising.
Our role is ultimately to provide the best possible local health service to you and your loved ones, so it is always a great honour to meet you and hear about your experiences.
For me, there is something very special about people like you; people who reach into your own pocket to give back to the community so that other people can have the quality of care you have had.
Thank you for attending the functions and sharing your views. Thank you for being so generous. Thank you for your commitment to your local community.
Alan LillyChief ExecutiveEastern Health
Chinese community rallies to raise $149,000 for Box Hill Hospital
Held on 30 April, the gala fundraising event brought Michelin Star Chefs to Australia from Singapore, Malaysia, Taiwan, China and Hong Kong.
These exceptionally talented chefs dazzled participants with mouth-watering dishes while event organisers Mr Ron Lim JP and Sun Tsui Luen conducted fundraising activities.
Eastern Health Foundation Chairman Cr Robert Chong OAM observed that, “The success of this event is indeed a reflection of the Chinese community’s generous support for the overall healthcare of the greater community”.
Deepest thanks to the event organiser and chairman, as well as the chefs for their generous donation of their time, skills and knowledge.
Thanks also to the Hong Kong Chinese Chefs Association, Singapore HK International Restaurant Trade Fellowship Association and the event production team Heat.
A wonderful International Star Chefs Charity Night held by the Chinese community has raised $149,000 for Box Hill Hospital.
grateful
Children benefit most from your gifts for Emergency Department equipmentMaroondah, Box Hill and Angliss Emergency Departments are now better equipped thanks to you.
Thank you for the wonderful $91,130 donated by you and other donors to buy new equipment that will help you and other patients at any of our Emergency Departments get the best and fastest care.
With your help, the following equipment has now arrived or is awaiting delivery:
Thanks for helping get the dosage right
New medication dosage technology helps staff calculate medications quickly and accurately, avoiding the risk of not getting a calculation done quickly enough to save a patient.
Cost: $6,000.
You’re keeping patients breathingWhen a patient is struggling for breath, or even stops breathing, knowing what’s causing it can mean the difference between life and death. This new video intubating laryngoscope is a way of looking down a patient’s airways while at the same time holding the airways open to keep them breathing.
Cost: $22,000.
You’re bringing specialists to the bedside – from anywhere, any timeYou may be kilometres from the nearest specialist but with telemedicine video conferencing equipment the specialist can be virtually by your bedside in minutes to give you the best possible care without you having to wait. (Special thanks to the very generous donor who kindly gave the full amount required to buy this item.)
Cost: $9,587.
Helping children in Emergency get the medications they need This special children’s ultrasound helps medical staff locate a suitable vein quickly and painlessly, to avoid any unnecessary distress involved in getting their medication to them quickly.
Cost: $12,000.
Toiling away behind the scenes, for no pay, is a small army of volunteers who between them raise more than $500,000 per annum to support the care of patients in Eastern Health services.
They are the Auxiliaries – a dedicated group who work tirelessly to raise funds for your local health services.
Eastern Health is blessed with five Auxiliairies:
• Maroondah Hospital Auxiliary has for 38 years operated the Maroondah Hospital Kiosk. A group of 100 dedicated volunteers provide fresh sandwiches, hot foods, confectionery and drinks every day of the week, as well as vending machines throughout the hospital and a trolley service for patients unable to leave their beds or wards.
• Angliss Hospital Ferntree Gully Auxiliary raises funds
for extra medical equipment and other important projects essential to the hospital and is a social as well as a volunteer group.
• Since 1950 the Upper Ferntree Gully Angliss Hospital Auxiliary has been fundraising for the Angliss Hospital with raffles, book fairs, entertainment books and stalls.
• More than 140 members of the Box Hill Hospital Auxiliary participate in a variety of fundraising activities including the Hospital Kiosk, selling items at foyer stalls, raffle ticket sales and organising sausage sizzles. Proceeds from these fundraising activities are donated to purchase medical equipment for the Hospital.
• Mitcham Auxiliary consists of a dedicated band of volunteers who raise funds for the Maroondah Hospital. The auxiliary will celebrate its 50th anniversary next year and Mary Luckhurst, an inaugural member is still active in the auxiliary today.
A huge thank you to Eastern Health Auxiliary members
Thank you
TOP International Star Chefs from many countries kindly donated their time.
BOTTOM Mr Robert Chong OAM (right) Eastern Health Foundation Chairman, with Alan Lilly (centre) Eastern Health Chief Executive enjoying the Star Chefs Charity Night.
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