Since its formation in 1982, the Epworth Medical Foundation has contributed well over $25 million to Epworth HealthCare.
These funds were used to replace medical equipment, help establish new services, provide further training for Epworth HealthCare’s specialist doctors and nurses and to help fund major capital projects.
During 1996 through 1999, a special capital appeal raised over $5 million for the development of the Leigh Place Medical Centre. Major donations were received from Coles Myer, Crown casino and the Mandie family.
A second capital appeal was conducted from 2001 through 2005 and well over $10 million was raised to help establish a new Cancer Centre at Epworth Richmond. This achievement included a $5 million commitment from Tattersall’s and a $1.5 million bequest from the Sidwell estate.
Committed Epworth HealthCare donors and grateful former patients contribute a little more each year to the Foundation's annual giving appeals. And support from community groups such as Heartbeat Epworth and our Friends of Epworth graoups have also grown.
An indication of how our funds are allocated can be seen from the following; $200,000 to the Epworth Richmond Breast Service to buy a portable utrasound machine, a translucent operating table and other equipment;; $100,000 to the Epworth Richmond Intensive Care Unit to purchase a high capacity ventilator; $260,000 was distributed to the Epworth Richmond Tattersall's Cancer Centre to help in equipping the Radiation Oncology Unit. $70,000 was used to puchased a LiteGait partial weight-bearing device for the Rehabilitation Centre.
$350,000 was recently donated to the Epworth Richmond Emergency Department to replace ten patient monitors and two electrocardiograph machines. $110,000 went to Epworth Richmond Cardiac Services to form part of a $1.3 million overhaul of patient monitoring equipment to be undertaken in August 2005.