Portsmouth Hospitals Charity, based at Queen Alexandra Hospital in Cosham has received £870 from the John Lewis Knight and Lee store in Southsea.
As part of the stores Community Matters scheme, all of the customers who put their green token in the box throughout the months of November, December and January. The money raised will be put towards an important Neuro arm de-weighter for patients recovering from a stroke or brain injury.
The machine, which costs £3,000, will be for Queen Alexandra Hospital’s Rehabilitation Centre and will be used by Physiotherapists to teach patients how to use their shoulders and arms again.
Hayley King, Physiotherapist at QA Hospital describes why her team are fundraising - she said: "We are the Neuro Rehab team at Queen Alexandra Hospital and we are raising money for specialist therapy equipment for our patients to use as part of their rehabilitation. We work with people who have undergone life changing events as a result of a brain injury or stroke. This can have a devastating impact on people's quality of life, impacting on their ability to move, engage with their daily activities, work, and fulfil their role within their families and communities.
"Our current fundraising goal is to raise money for a piece of equipment called the ‘SaeboMAS’. It is a dynamic mobile arm support that allows people who have arm weakness as a result of a brain injury or stroke to exercise their weak arm using zero gravity. This will enable people to start moving and exercising sooner whilst in hospital which is proven to improve their abilities later in life as they recover from their brain injury or stroke.
"The money donated from the John Lewis community matters scheme will help us reach this goal to buy a SaeboMAS. We are really grateful that they have supported us with our fundraising. Our patients will benefit a great deal from being able to use this specialist piece of equipment as part of their rehabilitation.”
The John Lewis Community Matters Scheme has been running for the past 4 years, with local charities benefitting from the scheme every few months.
Portsmouth Hospitals Charity, based at Queen Alexandra Hospital in Cosham aim to support the patients of Portsmouth Hospitals NHS Trust by improving existing facilities and by providing additional equipment, supporting research programmes and innovation in the development of services and education to both patients and staff.
The charity supports all of the Wards and Departments across Portsmouth Hospitals NHS Trust and you can choose to support and fundraise for an area of the hospital that is close to your heart.
