£30,000 raised for new equipment to help children at QA Hospital

Doctors, nurses, domestic staff and patients’ families at Queen Alexandra Hospital, Cosham, raised the incredible amount for a blood gas analyser which measures children’s blood pressure to determine how unwell they are.

Having the equipment in the paediatric unit means medics will get more accurate results and be able spend much more quality time with the patients and their families.

The money was raised through fundraising events, such as sponsored bike rides, sponsored walks, cakes sales, a charity car wash, raffles and many more.

Donations were also given by companies and supporters.

Advanced clinical practitioner Kate Blake organised a 12-hour dance-a-thon in July to raise funds for the machine.

She said: ‘Staff from the children’s department have supported this appeal in a massive way.

‘We have had some very generous donations, including £20,000 from the estate of a local teacher who wanted to help children in the Portsmouth area, and £5,000 from the online estate agent PurpleBricks.’

Sister Tracey Thomas will soon be starting a committee to raise even more funds for other important pieces of equipment within the department.

She said: ‘I am blown away by the support we have received. And I’m hugely proud that through our hard work and determination we have managed to purchase and install a blood gas analyser within seven months of starting the project.

‘We now look forward to organising many more events, and we will continue to raise funds for our department.

The machine was used more than 50 times in the first week.