Thanks to the generosity of a group of volunteers who assist at the Wellington Shire Air Show, Central Gippsland Health has a new Holter monitor for its cardiology department.
The air show volunteers donated $2900 towards the total cost of the monitor with the Sale Hospital Auxiliary putting in the remaining $1500.
A Holter monitor is a type of portable electrocardiogram (ECG) and it records the electrical activity of the heart over 24 hours or longer. A standard or resting ECG is one of the simplest and fastest tests used to check the heart.
Ron Gregory of the Air Show Aircraft Ground Operations (AGO) group said it was the first time a donation had been made to CGH, but it certainly won’t be the last.
Mr Gregory said the group, whose members are former Royal Australian Air Force personnel and other flying enthusiasts, all volunteered their time to the biennial event. Wellington Shire Council makes a donation to the group for its efforts who in turn select a beneficiary.
The show showcases the aviation capability and heritage in Wellington and celebrates the region’s long history with the RAAF.
The group has already decided to donate the proceeds from a bus it will run from Sale to the Avalon Air Show in March 2025 to CGH.
“Our group members volunteer at other air shows including Avalon which is an international event,” Mr Gregory said.
“We will run a bus for interested people to attend and any money raised will go to CGH. People should keep an eye out for details closer to the time.”
CGH chief executive Mark Dykgraaf, thanked both the Air Show AGO and the auxiliary for their donations.
“We appreciate the valuable work of volunteers in raising funds for much need equipment, making a difference to patients and also our staff,” he said.
