Christmas can be a difficult and stressful time for many families particularly when their loved ones suffer a serious injury or illness and have to go to the Emergency Department for help. The staff at Hutt Valley DHB ED would like to express their deepest gratitude for the time that many of you have spent making gifts for patients as well as decorating the department with beautiful Christmas decorations.
Your generosity has enabled us as a department to provide many unwell or injured children with gifts to open, and with a fun and interactive environment over the Christmas period. These gifts not only improved the experience for the children but also their parents, caregivers and staff working during this time.
Ann Wyatt and her team from Red Pebble Events donated not only their time but a magnificent Christmas tree along with beautiful decorations for the main waiting room. The children were in awe of the enormous tree, covered in lights and spectacular decorations. For many this was only the beginning of a fun and delightful experience they would have through our emergency service.
Our much loved Tree Hutt, along with its resident train was also lit with decorations for all to see and experience. This year we had a new Christmas train which has been donated by Cam County (from the Cars for Charity run, 2012). Chris Drowley from Wellington Garden Railway remodelled the train last year with flashing lights in each carriage, covered with chocolates and two miniature Christmas trees. The train provided a wonderful distraction children watched as it rolled around the track in the Tree Hutt waiting room, excitedly looking on.
Special Christmas prayer bears were knitted by Lucy and sent all the way up from Invercargill. Lucy’s on going support has been outstanding and to date she has knitted approximately 120 bears. These bears have delighted many children and adults alike. One particular little girl was able to take her special bear into the operating theatre. Her mother said this made a traumatic experience far less frightening.
This year we had many gifts donated by the staff of Wellington Free Ambulance, Salvation Army and Lower Hutt Rotary to give out on Christmas day. It is overwhelming to see the generosity of people within the Hutt Valley community.
The children’s delight was priceless and staff enjoyed being able to share the excitement when children were opening the presents. All of the children and their families were so thankful and appreciative for your generosity. One child was delighted with her gift of a beautiful purple fairy dress, her facial expression said it all. Her mother commented that in the past her daughter had been very fearful of hospitals and this time was the most relaxed she has ever seen her.
Looking forward, and with the beginning of the New Year now upon us, we are waiting in anticipation for our new paediatric Philips Observational Monitors to arrive this month. The purchase of these specialised monitors would not have been possible without the hard work from our latest fundraisers. Firstly the very successful evening Champagne and Chandeliers Fashion show (September 2014) lead by Ann Wyatt (Red Pebble) and Amanda Moir from Vogue the Mall in Upper Hutt. The second big fundraiser was Cars for Charity which Steve and Angela Reid from Cam County (Sept 2014) lead the team of volunteers.
The Cars for Charity event not only raised $12,000 it was the introduction of the new Tree Hutt balloons. These have been kindly designed with each of the special characters from the Tree Hutt by our very own Rachel Driscoll. The balloons are not only available for our fundraising events but they are now in the emergency department for children to enjoy.
Last but not least we are going to up grade the Tree Hutt with specially designed Tree Hutt curtains and a new television with DVD’s for children to watch at the bedside.
Again we wish to thank you all for your ongoing support. As you can see it is making such a positive difference for many children and their families