June 8, 2018
Kingaroy Hospital’s Director of Nursing Liz Livingstone has a new “baby girl”, but before anyone gets too excited, Mallory Jane is just a doll … but a pretty important one at that.
The doll was the prize in the Kingaroy Hospital Auxiliary’s recent “Name The Baby Girl” competition, part of an ongoing fundraising exercise by the Auxiliary members to buy a $46,000 ultrasound machine for use in the Kingaroy Hospital’s Emergency Department.
Tickets in the raffle came with the opportunity to name the doll, and Liz selected “Mallory Jane”.
Liz’s ticket was drawn out with some ceremony by Cr Danita Potter before a group of Auxiliary volunteers on Friday afternoon at the Hospital Canteen, which is also run by the Auxiliary.
“Town crier” Bill Steffensen announced the doll’s new name with some enthusiasm (did they really use condamine bells in mediaeval England?)
Auxiliary president Sandra Beetham said the doll competition was just the latest fundraiser by the group, which was established to assist patients and staff at Kingaroy Hospital.
At the moment, Kingaroy Hospital only has one portable ultrasound machine, which is shared between the Operating Theatre and the Emergency Department.
“This creates waiting times for it when it has to be moved,” Auxiliary publicity officer Pamela Lincoln said,
“You can imagine how traumatic it is for medical staff when it is needed in both locations at the same time.”
Treasurer Peter Mortimer said so far $2999.74 had been raised for the ultrasound machine, but the Auxiliary had about another $27,000 from other resources which could be put towards the project.
“It will probably take another two years to reach the target that we are looking at,” Peter said.
If they had been lucky enough to have Condamine bells they most certainly would have been the bell of choice