Breathing easier due to drive

Local residents could be breathing a lot easier sooner, with Shellharbour Hospital launching a community drive to help in the purchase of vital respiratory assistance machinery.

Used on people with severe breathing difficulties, Shellharbour Hospital already possesses one BiPaP machine but are presently trying to raise the $30,000 needed to purchase another machine, specifically for use in the emergency department.

"Basically the BiPaP helps the patient breathe easier, which means a lot of the anxiety and stress is taken away from the person experiencing severe breathing difficulties," Emergency Department Nursing Manger Frank Testa said. "We are able to help the patient save a lot of energy and reduce the chance of the patient developing further complications like pneumonia or being forced into ICU.

"It is a very easy procedure. Patients are just asked to wear a tight mask for an hour that helps regulate their breathing both in and out. It is a very stress free procedure."

Helping kick start the appeal, 10 McDonald's restaurants from across the Illawarra have banded together, already donating $5,000 towards the project, while for the rest of the month they will also be selling helping hands in store for a gold coin donation.

"It is great to be involved in such a worthwhile fundraiser," McDonalds' Warilla licensee Katia Dwarte said. "We really hope the local community will join in with us and try and raise as much money as possible to help out the hospital."

Also attending last week's launch, Member for Shellharbour Lylea McMahon threw her support behind the appeal saying she was delighted to be involved in the project.

"The area health service figures show that the number of people requiring care at Shellharbour Hospital continues to rise each year with the population in surrounding areas experiencing significant growth," she said. "The introduction of this relatively new technology will provide a welcome boost to the $4.4 million already spent on the expansion and upgrade of Shellharbour's emergency department three years ago."