WCH Foundation corporates support new Home Equipment Centre

Every year more than 1200 families, like the Bocks, rely on equipment from the Home Equipment Centre to enable their children to be cared for at home rather than in the Hospital.

Thanks to the support of five WCH Foundation corporate donors; The Lott by SA Lotteries, Sodexo, Curing Homesickness, Coles, and the SA Power Networks Employee Foundation, the Centre has relocated to a refurbished and larger premise.

Fourteen-month-old Amelia Bock was born at 35 weeks at North Adelaide Calvary. Her mum Amanda said Amelia was in foetal distress at birth and had to be rushed to the Women’s and Children’s Hospital.

“It was pretty traumatic at the time. She spent some time in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit and later was diagnosed with an extremely rare chromosome disorder. This led to a diagnosis of central and obstructive sleep apnea, which is why she requires oxygen, and an unsafe swallow so she is fed through a feeding tube. She was diagnosed at about three-months-old and that is when our relationship with the staff at the Home Equipment Centre began. We are here multiple times a month,” Amanda said.

Equipment Amelia requires from the Centre includes oxygen tubes, replacement buttons for the feeding tube, extension tubes, syringes, IV sponges and adhesive remover wipes.

“This equipment means she can stay healthy and meet her milestones, and we can manage Amelia’s condition at home instead of being in hospital, which means less admissions for us, so that’s fantastic.’’

Amelia Bock who requires equipment from the Home Equipment Centre.

The Home Equipment Centre’s new location, at the entrance to the Samuel Way Building, is more convenient for families to access compared to the former location within the Paediatric Outpatients Department. Parking for families utilising the service is now also within metres of the Centre in Brougham Place.

Women’s and Children’s Health Network Nursing Director of Disability and Complex Care, Jodie-Ann Hochuli, said the Centre supplies important equipment to patients so they can be cared for in the comfort of their own home.

“The Home Equipment Centre at the Women’s and Children’s Hospital ensures women, babies, children and young people continue to receive high quality care even after they have left the hospital,” Ms Hochuli said.

“The new location provides enhanced storage and greater accessibility for families, allowing them to easily park and access what they need without having to walk through the Hospital.

“I would like to thank the WCH Foundation and its corporate partners for making the relocation and refurbishment of this vital service possible.”

Amanda and Amelia Bock outside the new Home Equipment Centre near Brougham Place.

WCH Foundation CEO Jane Scotcher said the charity was incredibly proud to be supporting the redevelopment of this vital service.

“We are very grateful for the generous support of our corporate partners The Lott by SA Lotteries, Sodexo, Curing Homesickness, Coles, and the SA Power Networks Employee Foundation to help make this a reality,” Ms Scotcher said.

“Having access to loan or to buy medical equipment through the Home Equipment Centre means patients can go home sooner and live their lives outside the walls of the Hospital.’’

On the completion of the Home Equipment Centre project, The Lott by SA Lotteries has donated a further $50,000 in support of the Hospital and SA Power Networks Employee Foundation has donated $35,000 towards equipment.

The new Home Equipment Centre has increased in size from the previous site.