Exeter Foundation donates bladder scanner to Bolham Ward
The Exeter Foundation has donated a new bladder scanner to the Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital’s Bolham Ward in memory of former patient Patrick Tilbury.
Patrick’s parents Barbara and David Tilbury applied to the Foundation for the £6,000 donation to the neurological ward, which Patrick was cared for in January 2016 before he sadly passed away.
Exeter Foundation Trustee and Michelin-starred chef Michael Caines MBE recently visited the ward with Mr and Mrs Tilbury to take a look at the new piece of equipment and hear from staff first-hand how the scanner is already benefitting the ward. They were joined by MP for Exeter Ben Bradshaw who has supported the Tilburys since they began fundraising for the ward last year.
To date Mr and Mrs Tilbury have inspired donations totalling more than £18,000 for new equipment for Bolham, including funding a new ECG machine and a previous donation of three reclining chairs by the Exeter Foundation and the Exeter Lions to provide more comfort for relatives visiting the ward.
Barbara said of the Exeter Foundation’s most recent donation: “I would like to thank everyone for their continued support and kindness in enabling me to make something so good come out of something so tragic for us as parents.”
The new bladder scanner will enable clinicians to quickly and accurately measure a patient’s bladder volume. It helps with the diagnosis of common urological conditions or can be used to assess urinary retention, which can help clinicians make more informed decisions about further treatments and often reduce unnecessary catheterization and the chances of a patient developing infections.
Bolham Sister Cynthia Lumbwe said: “We are extremely grateful to the Exeter Foundation for agreeing to support us again with this very generous donation. I would also like to thank Mrs and Mrs Tilbury on behalf of the staff of Bolham for their continued support for the ward. Their incredible efforts have enabled us to purchase more equipment that will make a real difference to the care we provide for our patients.”
Chairman of the Exeter Foundation, Tony Rowe OBE, commented: “We were already familiar with the Bolham Ward after recently helping to fund convertible chairs and we regarded the new scanner as another hugely worthwhile cause.
“The Foundation aims to support the wider Exeter community and I’ve no doubt that many local people will benefit from the installation of the scanner.”
Ben Bradshaw added: “I'd like to thank and congratulate Barbara and David and Exeter Foundation for their generous support for this vital equipment, which will make such a difference for so many patients.”
