Hospital will get key equipment for sick youngsters by way of bottle recycling program

A hospital has obtained important gear for critically ailing youngsters because of funds raised by recycling plastic bottles and cans.

The recycling marketing campaign was launched by three porters from Cork College Hospital and raised nearly €20,000 from the recycling of 123,000 plastic bottles and cans.

The three colleagues – all named John – first started amassing misplaced ingesting containers to benefit from the deposit-and-return scheme for funds supposed for a Chinese language takeaway on the finish of their evening shift.

Nevertheless, after deciding to donate the income to the hospital’s fundraising arm, CUH Charity, the initiative has turn out to be one of many best-supported recycling efforts within the nation.

The fundraiser is now led by colleagues John Collins and John Keenan.

They’ve spent the final seven months amassing used bottles and cans on the finish of their shift and exchanging them for money at native outlets below the deposit scheme.

This cash has now been used to buy a cell high-flow oxygen remedy unit for infants and kids affected by bronchiolitis, pneumonia and bronchial asthma.

Mr Collins mentioned he by no means imagined the fundraiser can be so profitable.

He mentioned: “We’re delighted that this has enabled the hospital to buy this gear, and even that we are able to surpass the €10,000 mark.

“We’ve got been doing this for seven months now, we began on Might 3 and the primary donation to CUH Charity was €220.

“There may be enormous assist throughout the hospital, we accumulate 12 luggage of bottles and cans per day, which is on common between 600 and 800 containers.

“And that’s with out concentrating on the complete hospital, we don’t have the employees to try this, if we did it, we might have as much as €30,000.

“We’ll preserve this going for so long as potential – even when we didn’t get the Chinese language takeaway!” »

CUH Guide Pediatrician Dr David Mullane mentioned the Excessive Circulate Oxygen Remedy (Airvo) unit is used to offer an elevated, uninterrupted quantity of oxygen to infants and kids with acute respiratory issues.

Many youngsters who obtain them should transfer between totally different areas of the hospital and, sometimes, be transferred to intensive care.

“To keep up Airvo supply throughout switch in these circumstances, a cell gadget with its personal exterior battery or energy supply is required,” Dr Mullane mentioned.

“This new gear will present that and allow seamless handoff whereas sustaining Airvo supply.

“It will permit us to offer optimum care to sufferers in respiratory misery.

“We actually respect our colleagues agreeing to fund this essential gear by way of their recycling efforts. »

CUH Charity govt director Claire Concannon mentioned the group was indebted to the boys for his or her “tireless work”.

She mentioned: “To assume that they’ve continued this unimaginable effort of their time and made such a distinction to the younger sufferers on the hospital is a superb testomony to their character, they deserve all of the reward they obtain. »