By Mitchell Clarke
A Pakenham mother – who has spent her fair share of time in hospital with her sick son – is urging the community to contribute just $2 towards Monash Hospital’s new emergency department.
Debra Deayton’s son Tristan suffers from Wolff-Parkinson-White (WPW) syndrome, a rare condition which involves an extra electrical pathway between the heart’s upper and lower chambers, causing a rapid heartbeat.
At just 13 years old, Tristan was rushed to hospital after being at a school swimming carnival. He was having difficulty breathing, his heart was racing and his chest was bulging.
He’s since gone on to have two surgeries on his heart which have been unsuccessful, so he remains on medication to control the episodes until he can have a larger surgery.
“As a parent, when you turn up to an emergency department, I guess you’re always a bit traumatised because your children are your most cherished babies,” Ms Deayton explained.
“We’ve had quite a few stays at the Monash Children’s Hospital and there’s been some very scary moments.”
Monash’s new children’s emergency department – which is due for completion in 2022 – is set to receive a funding boost following the launch of a national ‘Curing Homesickness’ initiative.
Coles supermarket shoppers can purchase a $2 donation card at the checkout, as part of a two-week campaign which aims to get sick kids home from hospital sooner or by making their hospital stay easier.
“As a parent of five kids, I can’t tell you how important I think it is to have a children’s emergency department,” Ms Deayton added.
“To know that there’s going to be a designated area just for kids with paediatricians ready to treat them, it puts your mind at ease straight away.”
Funds raised would be used to purchase new equipment to treat children, as well as creating a welcoming and calm environment to reduce stress for children and their families.
“Each year, more and more children present at Monash in emergency situations and the new dedicated children’s emergency department will be an absolutely critical aspect of healthcare for children,” Monash Health director of emergency medicine Rachel Rosler said.
“Any funds raised at Coles for the Curing Homesickness campaign will help purchase equipment like portable x-ray equipment that will enable children to be assessed and treated quickly so they can return home as soon as possible.”
For Ms Deayton and her family, a calming and reassuring environment is exactly what is needed during such a stressful period.
“One of the things they’re looking to have in the hospital is a recliner that turns into a bed for the parent,” she explained
“I can tell you now that something like that would be amazing … just to have that extra support for families is amazing.”
