'Sanctuary for Kids' project

'Sanctuary for kids' is all about making hospital a better, brighter and friendlier place for children. 'Sanctuary for Kids' is also about improving medical techniques, purchasing specialist medical equipment, funding nursing scholarships and reducing the number of children that are referred to Melbourne for treatment.

With support, paediatric (children) services can be so much better, and offer more and improved services to families. To effectively manage a project of this size the 'Sanctuary for Kids' project has been broken into stages.

Stage 1: Please see below picture gallery

Stage 2: Outpatients paediatric clinic
Currently there is no area specifically for the treatment of children, no waiting area, and no clinic. Children are treated in the same area as adults, this is disruptive for adults and boring for children and difficult for parents to manage children during their wait.

Our aim is to create and fit out a waiting area designed to passively entertain children while they wait to see their doctor. Purchase new medical equipment – There are many pieces of medical equipment that are needed to support the Outpatients clinic

Furniture - examination benches and furniture specifically designed for children.`

Plaster room - a new up-to-date plaster room – now this can be scary, a noisy saw leaves children wondering if this is going to hurt! Through donations received we are currently purchasing new plaster saws and introducing the polyester casts in place of plaster – these are not suitable in every case but when they are suitable it makes life easier for children and parents.

There are many more improvements that can make life better for the kids when they come to hospital... our plan is to continue to make these improvements once we raise enough funds. You can help!  

Emergency Department
For any person who has attended Bendigo Health’s Emergency Department, they will know that the crowded waiting room does not make waiting to see the doctor, a pleasurable experience!

The Emergency Department is currently undergoing extensive works funded by the Victorian Government, this funding does not include specific improvements for paediatric care. Therefore through the ‘Sanctuary for Kids’ project we will create a suitable waiting area for children. Install durable play equipment that will stand the test of time but occupy the minds of our young patients and their siblings.

Fit-out two treatment rooms with children in mind. To entertain them while they wait for medication to take effect or to turn their attention away from pain we will install a TV/DVD and ‘Sanctuary for Kids’ themes on the walls.

Medical Equipment – Nitrous oxide (paediatric- just for kids) or happy gas as it is well known, reduces the need for medication, puts the child in a relaxed state and allows the doctor or nurse to care for the child without trauma. The community funded one nitrous oxide unit for the Child & Adolescent unit through the 2008 Bendigo Hospital Christmas Appeal, we would now like to purchase a second unit for the Emergency Department.

Medical equipment used to treat adults cannot be used for children or particularly babies without specific attachments or separate equipment, with your help this year we plan to research new techniques and medical equipment and bring as much of that new equipment to Bendigo.

Paediatric rehabilitation
A very new clinic that has just been developed here in Bendigo is the Paediatric Rehabilitation clinic. Held once a month specialist doctors’ travel from the Royal Children’s hospital to work with Bendigo Health nurses and doctors, to see children in a clinic setting. Patients live in Bendigo or travel from the many towns that make up the Loddon Mallee region. Previous to this clinic patients and their families travelled to Melbourne for this care, this meant that the family often needed to stay overnight in accommodation, either take their other children to Melbourne with them or arrange babysitters. Anyone who has children would understand the strain that this puts on families. Now we offer the clinic in Bendigo, but we need some assistance to purchase  medical equipment, specific clinical furniture, literature and other items to allow for a dedicated and sustainable clinic into the future.

Sanctuary for Kids Appeal - Special Care Baby Unit

If you would like more information please contact us.
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Current Hospital Projects

Raise the Roof
Through the support of our community Bendigo Health has helped improve the lives of cancer patients while they receive treatment in Bendigo. You can help us continue this wonderful service to patients.

Medical equipment
The Bendigo Health Foundation plays a very important role by funding new medical equipment. Medical technologies are continually being developed and Bendigo Health like many hospitals want to offer the most up-to-date treatments to their patients. The Bendigo Health Foundation assists by funding this new technology and equipment.

RSS feeds provide a convenient way to keep up top date with foundation news and events.

Bendigo Health Foundation
PO Box 126
Bendigo 3552
Telephone: 1800 427 353
Fax: (03) 5454 9170
bhfoundation@bendigohealth.org.au