Cuddle bed donated by Elders and the Belinda McGowan Foundation

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A group of fourteen people in different uniforms stand behind a large bed while smiling at the camera.
Left to right: Nicole Landers, Jocelyn Chandler, Rob Chandler, Tim Salter, Kim Ginns, Duncan Ferguson, Bruce McGowan, Karen Deininger, Jason McCarthy, Troy Lane, Toni Austin, Erina Ormand, Nadia Hoad, Rodger Smith.

Barcaldine Multipurpose Health Service will receive a donation of a cuddle bed, thanks to the generosity of Elders and The Belinda McGowan Foundation.

Barcaldine MPHS Director of Nursing Karen Deininger said the hospital welcomed the donation.

“Cuddle beds offer patients and loved ones a compassionate approach to end-of-life care,’’ she said.

“The cuddle bed makes a huge difference for palliative care patients and their families.

“This compassionate approach to care can have a huge impact on patients who can often feel isolated and provides family members with the opportunity to feel close in a hospital or hospice setting.’’

The cuddle bed will be presented to the hospital by The Belinda McGowan Foundation and Elders on 29 October.

Ms Deininger said the funding for the purchase of the cuddle bed had been provided by Elders through its Community Giving Project, a program established to further support needs of rural and regional communities around Australia.

Run in-house by Elders, the Community Giving Project offers grants of up to $20,000 for grassroots initiatives that will promote sustainable, focused, and long-term change in communities.

Elders Branch Manager Tim Slater said the cuddle bed donation to Barcaldine MPHS would be pivotal in providing comfort to both palliative and aged care patients.

“The Barcaldine MPHS has an inbuilt aged care unit, so the provision of the cuddle bed will be an invaluable resource to service all kinds of patients,” he said.

“It’s a tremendous thing for the community to be provided with the opportunity to receive comfort and closure, during such vulnerable times in their lives.”

Ms Deininger said the cuddle bed would be dedicated to a lifelong resident of Barcaldine, Liz Ferguson, who passed away in 2020.

“Liz dedicated her life to her family, her friends, and her students at the Barcaldine Prep to Year 12 State School. She was an inspiration to all with her dedication, her compassion, and her kindness,’’ she said.

“I would like to thank both Elders and The Belinda McGowan Foundation for this donation, for their generosity and for their support of the Barcaldine MPHS.’’

For more about Elders Community Giving Project visit:
https://elders.com.au/about-us/for-your-community/community-giving-project/

For more about The Belinda McGowan Foundation, visit:
https://thebelindamcgowanfoundation.org.au/