Lions roar improves patient mobility at Westmead

The Lions Club of Holroyd has made a generous contribution of $15,000, which has been used to purchase 27 new wheelchairs for Westmead Hospital.

It is the result of countless sausage sizzles conducted by Lions to raise funds to help the Westmead Medical Research Foundation (WMRF) replace 100 general-purpose wheelchairs.

“A lot of our fundraising comes from holding community barbeques,” Holroyd Lions club president Peter Lake said.

The wheelchairs are used daily in the hospital by expectant mums, chemotherapy patients and patients at Westmead’s Emergency Department.

“We are very grateful to the Lions Club of Holroyd for their generosity in providing 27 wheelchairs for use within Westmead Hospital,” Steve Morris from Westmead’s Orderly Services said.

“The chairs are already in constant use around the hospital and are instrumental in supporting our patients when they are at their most vulnerable.”

The need for new wheelchairs was due to losses sustained from wear and tear and some chairs going missing.

Orderlies use the chairs in excess of 50 times a day, often taking patients from hospital wards to the patient discharge lounge.

Lions is Australia’s largest service club with more than 1200 clubs in Australia and Papua New Guinea.

In 2017, Lions celebrated the 100th anniversary of the founding of the first Lions club.

Lions are people who share a core belief that community is what we make it.

Their motto is ‘to serve’.

“Lions club members have lost count of how many bread rolls they have halved, how many onions they have sliced and how many sausages they have barbequed over the past year,” Mr Lake said.

WMRF still needs your donation to be able to deliver the target of 100 wheelchairs.

If you would like to help, please contact WMRF on 1800 639 037 or wmrf@wmrf.org.au