Local Freemasons assist in providing relief for Hospice patients
Local Freemasons assist in providing relief for Hospice patients
Pain relief and taking medication is about to become much easier for Cranford Hospice patients with new syringe drivers which automatically supply medicines to those who need them.
Syringe drivers are small battery-operated devices that administer medicines intravenously over a selected time, usually 24 hours. Medicines are drawn into a syringe that is then attached to the driver, which is set to move the plunger at an accurately controlled rate.
Scinde Freemasons Lodge, Napier, has been fundraising for the last year to buy five of the syringe drivers for Cranford. Each year the newly elected Master of the Lodge names a charity and fundraising is focused on that chosen charity for the rest of the year. The past year has seen lodge members raising money to buy the syringes for Cranford, with top up funding from the NZ Freemasons Charity. A total of $15,000.00 was donated in June.
Some fundraising activities undertaken included brunch cycle rides, collection box donations, raffles and the renting out of the Lodge Refectory hall.
Scinde Master Steve Murray says, “Cranford is a worthy cause and lodge members have built a relationship with the hospice over several years, either on a personal basis or through workplace connections”. “The staff are amazing and do a wonderful job in what are very testing times for families”.
Using syringe drivers removes the need for patients to struggle with swallowing pills and ensures they are getting the right medication at the right time, whether they are in the community or in the Cranford inpatient unit. They result in a greatly improved quality of life for patients as well as assurance to their families that their loved ones are getting the best possible care.
Every day Cranford provides specialist palliative care for over 200 Hawke’s Bay families. Cranford needs to fundraise $3.5 million every year to continue delivering services to the Hawke’s Bay community at no cost to patients and families.
