A group of Central Coast cyclists have completed a challenging 260 kilometre ride to raise funds for Central Coast Local Health District (CCLHD) cancer patients.
Coastal Cruisers took part in the Tour de Rocks charity ride from Armidale to South West Rocks which raises money and awareness for cancer research and services.
The Cruisers’ fundraising efforts enabled the recent purchase of a tilting nursing chair on wheels for Gosford Hospital’s oncology ward.
The chair offers patients support, comfort and pressure care with water and memory foam cushions. It is also very easy to move around and convert into different positions.
CCLHD Nurse Manager Cancer Services Leanne Cowie thanked the Coastal Cruisers for their generosity and said the specially designed chair would be hugely beneficial, particularly for their less mobile patients.
“This is a really exciting piece of equipment for our oncology ward as we currently do not have a mobile chair like this,” she said.
“This chair will allow our patients the freedom to move around the ward with greater ease to access the family room and see different scenery from the eight storey windows.
“It is extremely comfortable, light-weight to move and the tilt mechanism enables the chair to tilt forward to help people to their feet and it reclines back into a bed position.”
The Coastal Cruisers visited Gosford Hospital’s oncology inpatient ward last week and were given a demonstration of some of the key benefits of the new chair.
Coastal Cruiser president Craig Smith said they were proud to be able to raise the funds to purchase the much-needed chair.
“As keen cyclists we are particularly impressed with the chair’s BMX wheels,” he said.
“It’s great to see the mobility and comfort this chair will give people going through such a tough time in their lives.
“We are really happy to be able to give back to the local community and help people who need it most,” he said.