Two new incubators for Good Hope Hospital and Heartlands Hospital
Good Hope Hospital Charity and Heartlands Hospital Charity is aiming to raise £150,000 for brand new state-of-the-art incubators for the Neonatal Units across the two sites that will help treat the tiniest of lives at the hospital. Warwickshire Freemasons have stepped up and pledged £40,000 to buy two of these life saving systems.
Every year, over 11,000 babies are born at Heartlands Hospital and Good Hope Hospital. Over 1,000 of those babies will be born too poorly or too soon and need the support of the Neonatal Unit.
The Neonatal Units treat babies who are born as early as 23 weeks of gestation and can weigh as little as 1 pound. These babies will be born before their vital organs have developed such as their brain, lungs and even skin.
The hospital charity has launched a fundraising appeal to bring seven state-of-the-art incubators to the hospitals Neonatal Units across Heartlands Hospital and Good Hope Hospital to help staff provide the best possible care for the hospitals most tiny patients.
These incubators will not only make it easier for staff to treat babies in a more comfortable way, they will also provide lifesaving therapeutic hypothermia which helps reduce the likelihood of brain injury to premature babies by cooling. Currently, babies who need this type of treatment may have to be transferred to another hospital, causing more distress to families.
As well as providing a lifeline for premature babies the new incubators have a number of additional benefits to staff and families. These are:
The incubators are sound proof and can help the baby get the rest they need on a loud busy unit, as well as having special covers to block out the light and protect the baby’s delicate eyes.
Nurses and doctors can also weigh the baby inside the incubator, to save the trauma to the baby of having to be constantly moved and disturbed.
It has the ability to be lowered (even down to toddler level). This means mums who have had C-Sections will be able to access their baby with ease and little discomfort.
The roof lifts off, this means doctors and nurses can gain crucial access to baby – this is especially helpful during procedures.
It has an inbuilt IPad/IPhone docking station so that parents can record themselves reading a story, their heartbeats or play music to help baby feel more comfortable.
Finally it has heaters which create a wall when the side of the incubator opens. This means parents can be more hands on without worrying about baby being cold.
The Warwickshire Masonic Charitable Association will be supporting these two local hospitals in this vital work, by purchasing two life support machine/incubators. This will enable critically ill babies to remain close to home so that parents can spend as much time as possible bonding with their new baby, making the most of the time they have together.
Haris's Story
Haris was born at 24 weeks and three days, weighing just 1lbs 10oz and was cared for on the Neonatal Unit for the first 94 days of his life. His Mum, Ellie said: “The unit saved our son’s life. We were very lucky and appreciate everything that the staff did for Haris.”
The pictures below show Haris when he was born and how he looks now as an energetic and healthy 1 year old. Neonatal babies will almost always need the assistance of a specialist incubator to help monitor progress, keep babies away from infection and help with their respiratory. The money provided by the Warwickshire Freemasons will provide incubators to help babies just like Haris.
Please read baby Haris’s full story on the attached link to see how important our support is for premature babies and their families.
https://www.hospitalcharity.org/news/miracle-baby-turns-one
Laura Power, Fundraising Manager at Good Hope Hospital Charity, said:
“A huge thank you to the Warwickshire Freemasons for pledging £40,000 for the brand new incubators the Neontal Units across Good Hope and Heartlands.
“The brand new incubators will improve the care of tiny babies born in the hospitals and will prevent them having to be transferred to another hospital for their care and treatment.”
Each incubator costs £20,000 and the WMCA is asking each lodge to consider using one of its charity appeals to help raise the funds. A roll of honour showing the name and number of each lodge, which has contributed ,will be displayed in the Neo Natal unit at each hospital. Obviously this is an urgent appeal as babies need help to live right now.
The Provincial Grand Master for Warwickshire, Right Worshipful Brother David Macey, who visited the Neo Natal Unit at Heartlands Hospital, on the 25th October, said
“The work undertaken on the Neo Natal Unit is both outstanding and futuristic. It was a real privilege to meet the staff and witness their total dedication to their tiny patients and their families.
“As the head of freemasonry in Warwickshire I am extremely proud of the generosity shown by our members which will enable premature babies to remain close to their families at such a critical time in their lives.
“I am sure that the two incubators we have donated, when combined with the skill of the staff on the wards, will give all the babies a strong fighting chance.”
If you, or your Lodge are in a position to help Haris and thousands of babies like him you can send a cheque to: The Warwickshire Masonic Charitable Association. It can be sent to the Provincial Grand Charity Steward, Yenton Assembly Rooms, 73 Gravelly Hill North, Erdington, Birmingham, B23 6BJ.