Macsen and Elis have been fundraising for their local NHS TWO eight-year-old boys from Pontyberem in Carmarthenshire have raised over £1,000 in a month long fundraising challenge for their local NHS. Macsen Harris and Elis Eynon are running a mile a day for 28 days in their local park because they wanted to support their local health service during the Covid pandemic. Macsen started the challenge on February 4 and his friend Elis was inspired to join him when he heard about it. So far the boys have raised over £1,000, with the challenge set to end on March 7. Macsen’s mum Lowri said, “Macsen is very keen to raise money for Hywel Dda to help local people get the support they need through these difficult times because of Covid. His best friend is joining him as will his siblings Lili and Caio, now and again, to help him run a mile a day for 28 days.”
Health charity takes to the skies with virtual balloon race With the current covid restrictions fundraisers are continuing to explore innovative ways for the public to support good causes, and Hywel Dda Health Charities is proud to launch a fun, eco-friendly, virtual challenge everyone can get involved in. A virtual balloon race is set to take place on Valentine’s Day, Sunday, February 14, and starts in Paris, the city of romance. Tara Nickerson, Fundraising Manager for Hywel Dda Health Charities said, “We’re always looking at new and alternative options for our supporters who want to give back and show their appreciation for the NHS - whether it’s their way of thanking staff for the exceptional care they or a loved one received, or, as we are seeing at the current time, a general acknowledgement for the exceptional work of the NHS through the Coronavirus pandemic.
NHS charity donation helps heart patients Hywel Dda Health Charities has purchased heart monitors and blood pressure machines for use by cardiology patients in the Ammanford area thanks to donations from members of the public. Ten heart rate and rhythm monitors are available for patients in Ammanford, Carmarthen and Llanelli to use in their own homes, so that assessments can be done remotely. Readings are transferred to one of three specialist heart failure nurses, enabling the team to assess if further investigation is needed. The purchase of 75 automated blood pressure machines for patients to use at home is also enabling virtual clinics to be held, allowing the nursing team to record vital observations to help prevent hospital admissions.
The machine is being used to perform ECGs on babies born prematurely and those needing extra care. An ECG machine records the electrical activity of the heart and diagnoses and monitors the treatment of cardiac conditions. Karen Jones, senior nurse neonates, said the unit was extremely grateful for the donations to Hywel Dda Health Charities that have made the purchase of an ECG machine possible. “We regularly undertake electrocardiograms on premature and new-born babies admitted to the unit,” she said. “The machine can communicate wirelessly and stores ECG results electronically, giving better access to data for medical teams. The speedy, accurate readings mean early plans of care can be formulated.”