The Stanthorpe and Warwick hospitals have received a generous donation of three syringe drivers from the McGowan Family. Valued at around $13,000, these medical devices are crucial for palliative and end-of-life care.
Chris Smith, director of nursing at Stanthorpe Hospital, emphasised the importance of such equipment in patient care.
“When someone is in hospital, it is the care staff they remember, not the equipment,“ Mr Smith said.
“But it is the equipment, operating quietly in the background, that supports the people who work in our hospitals. These syringe drivers help us provide sensitive care to our patients.“
The McGowan family supports The Belinda McGowan Foundation, a charity established in memory of Flight Lieutenant Belinda McGowan, RAAF, who passed away in Warwick Hospital in 2021. The foundation focuses on providing cuddle beds for rural, regional, and remote community hospitals, multi-purpose health services, and aged care facilities.
Belinda McGowan’s vision was for rural patients in Queensland to have access to the same palliative care medical equipment available in larger metropolitan facilities, allowing them to remain close to home and loved ones.
Besides cuddle beds, other essential palliative care items, like syringe drivers, are also in short supply in rural areas. Syringe drivers are small battery-powered pumps that deliver a steady flow of medication through a small tube just under the skin on the patient’s arm, leg, tummy, or back. These devices, while primarily used for palliative care, can manage symptoms at any stage of an illness.
Ian McGowan, a member of the McGowan family, expressed their pride in supporting the community.
“We are very pleased, as a local family, to be able to assist our community in a tangible way,“ he said.
“Our family has been resident on the Southern Downs for many generations. Our grandmother was born and grew up in Stanthorpe; our father in Killarney; our mother, my siblings, and my own children here in Warwick. We have many relatives living across the region and the youngest of this current generation will be starting school soon.“
The donation from the McGowan family will enhance the quality of care for patients in the Stanthorpe and Warwick hospitals, ensuring they receive the support and comfort they need during critical times.
