Staff working with sick babies in Ballarat Health Service's maternity unit have a new machine to help them better manage their tiny charges after a generous donation from Ballarat Freemasons.
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The No. 23 Masonic Social Committee, with the support of the Freemasons Foundation, donated a $10,000 i-STAT blood analysis unit to the maternity team.
The portable handheld machine is used for blood gas analysis, performing a range of tests with results in as little as two minutes using just two drops of blood.
Medical staff can then decide whether immediate intervention is required and allow faster treatment of new babies with health issues.
The current method used to measure blood sugar levels means some babies have multiple blood tests instead of one single test.
The No. 23 Masonic Social Committee holds an annual fruit sale to raise money for their charitable programs, with lodge members collecting fruit direct from the grower in Shepparton and repackaging it for sale to the public.
It's a community effort with Hewitt & Whitty providing a truck to transport the fruit, and allowing the committee to conduct their annual fruit sale from their Wiltshire Lane outlet.
Julie Lodge from the hospital's maternity unit said the i-STAT unit would make a 'game changing' difference within the maternity unit.
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