Kicking up your heels at Gympie’s Jazz and Wine Festival next month will also help breathe new life into Gympie Hospital.
The Wishlist event, which was rescheduled to August 13 due to recent wild weather, will raise money for a second BiPAP Non-Invasive Ventilator machine for Gympie Hospital’s Emergency Department.
Gympie Hospital Emergency Medicine clinical nurse Lyndall Britton with a BiPAP machine.
The piece of life-saving equipment has a $36,946 price tag and will be housed permanently in the Department of Emergency Medicine for patients who present with breathing difficulties, or are in respiratory failure.
Director of Emergency at Gympie Hospital, Jason Lindeman, said staff were sharing one BiPAP machine in the hospital.
“A second BiPAP machine at Gympie Hospital will help improve access for patients even further,” Dr Lindeman said.
Dr Lindeman said BiPAP intervention had been shown to be an effective management tool for chronic obstructive airways disease, pneumonia, acute pulmonary oedema, adult respiratory distress syndrome and in cases where a patient’s oxygenation and comfort can be improved through ventilatory support.
“The BiPAP is not only a piece of life-saving equipment, but it means patients can receive more of their treatment in their own community,” he added.
Wishlist CEO Lisa Rowe said funds raised at the Wishlist Jazz and Wine Festival on Saturday, June 13 would go directly to purchasing the $36,946 BiPAP Non-Invasive Ventilator.
“The BiPAP is, and has been, the top priority for the Gympie health service for quite some time and Wishlist is committed this year to ensure a purchase can be made,” Ms Rowe said.
“Through events like the Jazz and Wine Festival and appealing to the local community through donations at tax time, we hope to make a purchase in the coming months.
“Our goal, through holding this exciting fundraising event, is to keep patients and loved ones together during tough times and prevent travel to Nambour and beyond.”
The Festival will feature a line up amazing local musicians including the hugely popular group The Kitty Kats and Robyn Brown Music – Sassy Jazz.
“The beauty of this fun-filled day out – besides the incredible entertainment, food and wine – is all funds raised will stay in Gympie for the benefit of local families,” Ms Rowe added.
Wishlist is the Sunshine Coast’s health foundation and has committed $1.5 million this year to upgrade and provide new equipment, training, support programs and research funding for Gympie Hospital and the wider Sunshine Coast Hospital and Health Service.
The Wishlist Jazz and Wine Festival at Gunabul Homestead is proudly sponsored by Schuh Group, The Gympie Times, GJ Gardner Homes, Sutton Building Solutions and Zinc 96.1.
Tickets are $30. To book click here.
For those unable to attend, please consider making a tax deductible donation towards your local hospital.
Click the ‘donate’ tab at www.wishlist.org.au.
See the full story at The Gympie Times here and video here.
