This in from the Friends of St Mary’s Hospital on the Isle of Wight, in their own words. Ed
Equipment bought over a year ago by the Friends of St Mary’s Hospital for the Applegate breast care unit proved so useful that the Friends were approached to buy more of the same.
Expressing her gratitude to the Friends for agreeing to pay for a repeat order for a Hydroven 12 pump with lymph assist and sleeve, senior clinical nurse specialist Jasmine Light explained it provided gentle massage for patients who had had their axillary lymph nodes in their armpits removed after breast surgery.
Among first in the country to purchase
“The arms can become very swollen and hard, making them feel extremely heavy. We had been among the very first people in the country to purchase such equipment, and the patients have been so pleased over the way it has helped their arms become softer and more manageable.
“Clearly the need is there; some patients come in to us once or twice a week, and a second set of equipment will also be much-used.”
Friends agreed to £118,790 spend last year
This second purchase cost the Friends £2,274. It formed part of £118,790 of total expenditure on NHS facilities and equipment agreed to by the Friends last year.
The organisation, mainly involving volunteers, raise funds through profits from their hospital shop and two cafeterias, plus donations and legacies.
You can find out more about the Friends of St. Mary’s Hospital on their Website.
